Minnesota Session Laws - 2016, Regular Session

CHAPTER 150--S.F.No. 2603

An act

relating to human rights; adding a requirement for closed captioning on televisions in medical facilities;

proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [144.611] CAPTIONING REQUIRED. new text end

new text begin (a) This section applies to health care facilities licensed under this chapter. new text end

new text begin (b) Any television in a waiting room provided for use by the general public, or by individuals using or requesting services, must have a closed captioning feature activated at all times if the television includes a captioning feature. A health care facility must make reasonable efforts to prevent members of the general public and individuals using or requesting services from independently deactivating a captioning feature. new text end

new text begin (c) It is not a violation of this section if the captioning feature is deactivated by a member of the general public or an individual using or requesting services, so long as the captioning is reactivated as soon as practicable by a member of the facility staff upon knowledge that the deactivation has occurred. new text end

new text begin (d) This section does not affect any other provision of law relating to disability discrimination or providing reasonable accommodations or diminish the rights of a person with a disability under other law. new text end

Presented to the governor May 20, 2016

Signed by the governor May 22, 2016, 4:52 p.m.