HF 1421

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/21/2019 02:08pm

A bill for an act
relating to state government; requiring closed-captioned television in certain
circumstances; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections
12.09, subdivision 2; 169.219; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 256C.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 12.09, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

State emergency plan.

new text begin (a) new text end The division shall develop and maintain a
comprehensive state emergency operations plan and emergency management program in
accord with section 12.21, subdivision 3, clause (2), and ensure that other state emergency
plans that may be developed are coordinated and consistent with the comprehensive state
emergency operations plan.

new text begin (b) In developing a comprehensive state emergency operations plan and emergency
management program, the division must incorporate plans for closed-captioning and real-time
captioning for television programming and online broadcasts providing emergency
information as required under Code of Federal Regulations, title 47, section 79.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 169.219, is amended to read:

169.219 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

new text begin (a) new text end The commissioner of public safety shall include in the department's series of public
service announcements information that educates the public about traffic regulations that
are frequently violated, including the requirement for a vehicle driver to stop to yield the
right-of-way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The commissioner shall distribute these
announcements for broadcast in this state on radio and television.

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall ensure that all public service announcements are made
available through closed-captioning and real-time captioning for television programming
and online broadcasting providing public service information.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [256C.285] CLOSED-CAPTIONED TELEVISION.
new text end

new text begin The Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing shall partner with the
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services Division of the Department of Human Services to create
a public awareness campaign for businesses, including but not limited to hotels, restaurants,
bars, hospitals, and shopping malls, and government entities to provide closed-captioned
television if television services are otherwise provided and to have closed-captioning enabled
at all times unless there is a specific request to turn it off. When the person who requested
closed-captioning be turned off leaves the establishment or government entity, the
closed-captioning must be turned back on.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the general fund to the Commission of
the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing to develop a grant program for eligible nonprofit
organizations to create a public awareness campaign on the need for closed-captioning for
television programming and online broadcasting and to provide training on the use of
closed-captioning.
new text end