14-R369

2014 -- H 8362

Enacted 06/18/14

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY CAPTIONING ANDAUDIO DESCRIPTIONS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE HEARING OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN RHODE ISLAND COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS

Introduced By: Representatives Handy, E Coderre, Naughton, and Jacquard

Date Introduced: June 19, 2014

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

impaired, or otherwise disabled is an important issue; and

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

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

hearing and/or vision difficulty; and

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

captioned movie; and

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

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

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

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

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

included in the term "auxiliary aids and services"; and

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

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

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

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

consisting of ten (10) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of

Representatives, not more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be

appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the

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

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

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

Department of Human Services who specializes in services for the blind and visually impaired to

be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a representative of the Theater Owners of

New England, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a representative from the

Motion Picture Association of America, to be appointed by the Speaker; and one of whom shall

be a representative from a Rhode Island based telecommunications company, to be appointed by

the Speaker.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the call of the, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

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

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

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

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

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

The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

for said commission; and be it further

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

Representatives on or before March 4, 2015, and said commission shall expire on July 1, 2015.

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LC006019

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