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2012 -- S 2321 | |
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LC01297 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS | |
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TO PUBLIC FACILITIES | |
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Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Doyle, and Walaska | |
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Date Introduced: February 07, 2012 | |
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Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services | |
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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 | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS | |
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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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