2016 -- H 7979

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LC005518

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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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: Representatives Handy, Nardolillo, Naughton, Ajello, and Regunberg

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2016

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. 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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     40-9.1-7. Motion picture theater accommodation. -- (a) A public area that owns,

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leases, leases to, or operates a motion picture theater shall provide open movie captioning during

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at least two (2) showings per week of each motion picture that is produced and offered with open

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movie captioning.

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     (b) A public area that owns, leases, leases to, or operates a motion picture theatre shall

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provide, upon request, audio description of any motion picture that is produced and offered with

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audio description.

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     (c) A violation of this section shall be a discriminatory practice.

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     (d) This section shall apply to motion pictures that are produced and distributed with the

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necessary auxiliary aids and services, including captioning and audio description. This section

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shall not prohibit the showing of a motion picture that is produced and distributed without

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captioning and audio description; provided that a public accommodation that owns, leases, leases

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to, or operates a motion picture theater shall provide notice to the public if a motion picture

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offered for viewing is produced and distributed without captioning or audio description.

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     (e) For the purposes of this section, "motion picture theater" means a movie theater,

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screening room, or other venue in use primarily for the exhibition of a motion picture.

 

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     (f) This section shall be repealed on January 1, 2019.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2017, and shall be repealed on

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January 1, 2019.

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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 movie theaters to provide open captioning for persons who are

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deaf or hard-of-hearing.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2017 and would be repealed on January 1, 2019.

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