2013 -- S 0277 SUBSTITUTE A

=======

LC00993/SUB A/3

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

____________

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY CAPTIONING AND AUDIO

DESCRIPTIONS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE HEARING OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN

RHODE ISLAND COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS

     Introduced By: Senators Cool Rumsey, Sosnowski, Walaska, Ottiano, and Pichardo

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

1-1

     WHEREAS, The equal treatment of those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually

1-2

impaired, or otherwise disabled is an important issue; and

1-3

     WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Community

1-4

Survey, in 2011, Rhode Island had an estimated population of over 50,000 people who have

1-5

hearing and/or vision difficulty; and

1-6

     WHEREAS, Only two movie theaters in Rhode Island are currently providing one

1-7

captioned movie; and

1-8

     WHEREAS, The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible

1-9

Design states: "A public accommodation shall take those steps that may be necessary to ensure

1-10

that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, segregated, or otherwise treated

1-11

differently than other individuals because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services"; and

1-12

     WHEREAS, An updated ADA regulation now specifies that open or closed captioning is

1-13

included in the term “auxiliary aids and services”; and

1-14

     WHEREAS, New technology, such as subtitle glasses, has the potential to enable those

1-15

who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or otherwise disabled to enjoy the movie

1-16

going experience with less hassle for themselves and other patrons; now, therefore be it

1-17

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

1-18

consisting of thirteen (13) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more

1-19

than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of

1-20

the Senate; three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of Representatives, not more than

2-1

two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the

2-2

House of Representatives; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island

2-3

Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the

2-4

Executive Secretary of the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities, or his or her designee; one of

2-5

whom shall be the Attorney General, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be a

2-6

representative of the Department of Human Services who specializes in services for the blind and

2-7

visually impaired; one of whom shall be a representative of the Theater Owners of New England;

2-8

one of whom shall be a representative from the Motion Picture Association of America; and one

2-9

of whom shall be a representative from a Rhode Island based telecommunications company.

2-10

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

2-11

commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

2-12

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

2-13

of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

2-14

is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

2-15

     The purpose of said commission shall be to study captioning and audio descriptions in

2-16

residential and commercial settings in Rhode Island with respect to motion pictures for persons

2-17

who are deaf and hard of hearing and persons who are blind or visually impaired and other areas

2-18

related to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) as deemed appropriate by the commission.

2-19

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

2-20

the call of the Co-Chairs and organize. The President of the Senate shall select a co-chairperson

2-21

and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select a co-chairperson of the commission.

2-22

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

2-23

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

2-24

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

2-25

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

2-26

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

2-27

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

2-28

suitable quarters in the State House for said commission; and be it further

2-29

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and results to the General

2-30

Assembly on or before March 4, 2014, and said commission shall expire on July 1, 2014.

=======

LC00993/SUB A/3

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY CAPTIONING AND AUDIO

DESCRIPTIONS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE HEARING OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN

RHODE ISLAND COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS

***

3-1

     This resolution would create a thirteen (13) member special joint commission whose

3-2

purpose it would be to study captioning and audio descriptions in residential and commercial

3-3

settings in Rhode Island with respect to motion pictures for persons who are deaf and hard of

3-4

hearing and for persons who are blind or visually impaired, and who would report back to the

3-5

General Assembly on or before March 4, 2014, and whose life would expire on July 1, 2014.

=======

LC00993/SUB A/3

=======