2013 -- H 5818 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC01562/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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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: Representatives Handy, Naughton, Jacquard, Williams, and McNamara

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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

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impaired, or otherwise disabled is an important issue; and

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

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

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hearing and/or vision difficulty; and

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

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captioned movie; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

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

     

     

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LC01562/SUB A

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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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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LC01562/SUB A

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H5818A