2012 -- S 2321

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LC01297

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS

TO PUBLIC FACILITIES

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Doyle, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 40-9.1-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-9.1 entitled "Equal

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Rights of Blind and Deaf Persons to Public Facilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     40-9.1-1.1. Definitions. -- (a) "Guide dog" means a dog that has been or is being

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specially trained to aid a particular blind or visually impaired person.

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      (b) "Hearing dog" means a dog that has been or is being specially trained to aid a

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particular deaf or hard-of-hearing person.

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      (c) "Housing accommodations" means any real property or portion thereof that is used or

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occupied, or intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied, as the home, residence or

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sleeping place of one or more human beings, but does not include any single-family residence the

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occupants of which rent, lease or furnish for compensation to more than one room therein.

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      (d) "Personal assistance animal" means a dog that has been or is being trained as a guide

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dog, hearing dog or service dog.

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      (e) "Service dog" means a dog that has been or is being specially trained to aid a

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particular disabled person with a disability other than sight or hearing.

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      (f) "Disabled" means a disability as defined in section 42-87-1.

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     (g) “Closed-captioning” means a transcript or dialog of the audio portion of a television

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program that is displayed on a television receiver screen when the user activates the feature.

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     (h) “Public area” means a part of a place of public accommodation that is open to the

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general public.

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     (i) “Regular hours” means the hours of any day in which a place of public

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accommodation is open to members of the general public.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 40-9.1 of the General Laws entitled "Equal Rights of Blind and

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Deaf Persons to Public Facilities" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     40-9.1-6. Closed-captioning activation required. – (a) On request, a place of public

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accommodation shall keep closed-captioning activated on any closed-captioning television

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receiver that is in use during regular hours in any public area.

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     (b) This section does not require a place of public accommodation to make closed-

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captioning available in a public area at the place of public accommodation if:

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     (1) No television receiver of any kind is available in the public area; or

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     (2) The only public television receiver available in the public area is not a closed-

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captioning television receiver.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01297

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS

TO PUBLIC FACILITIES

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     This act would require a place of public accommodation upon request, to keep closed–

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captioning activated on a television used in public areas during regular hours, if the television is

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capable of such display.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01297

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