H-4539.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2930
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Representatives Jacobsen, Radcliff, Romero and Wolfe
Read first time 01/29/96. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
AN ACT Relating to closed-captioning video for the deaf and hard of hearing; and adding a new chapter to Title 19 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
(1) Closed-caption for the deaf and hard of hearing decoding capability technology is built into television sets manufactured after 1993;
(2) Closed-captioned television has made it possible for thousands of deaf and hard of hearing people to gain access to and use the television medium, thus significantly improving the quality of their lives;
(3) Closed-captioning television can assist hearing, deaf, and hard of hearing children with reading and learning skills, and improve literacy skills among adults; and
(4) Closed-captioned television can assist those among our population who are learning English as a second language with language comprehension.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A video movie, documentary, course, self-help, product, or merchandise that has been reproduced in a video storage medium format of electronic means for distribution, sale, rent, loan, or lease for educational, instructional, commercial, informational, promotional, or entertainment purposes must be closed-captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This chapter does not apply to videos made for personal and private purposes of limited and restricted distribution.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This chapter applies to a video storage medium manufactured or duplicated after December 31, 1997.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 1 through 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 19 RCW.
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