SF 2237 (LSB 5636XS (4) 91)

SENATE FILE 2237

BY  STAED

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to closed captioning in places of public accommodation, and providing for civil penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  216.7A  Closed captioning required.
   1.  A public accommodation shall enable closed captioning for all television programming and online broadcasts that are provided for viewing by members of the public during hours during which the public accommodation is open to the public unless a member of the public asks that closed captioning be disabled on a specific device. In the event of such a request, closed captioning shall be enabled again once the member of the public who requested that closed captioning be disabled discontinues viewing or leaves the public accommodation.
   2.  A person who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to twenty-five dollars for each violation. A civil penalty collected under this section shall be deposited in the general fund of the state. 
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires all public accommodations that provide television programming and online broadcasts for viewing by members of the public to enable closed captioning on devices viewable by the public during business hours unless a member of the public asks that closed captioning be disabled on a specific device, in which case closed captioning shall be enabled again when the member of the public who made the request discontinues viewing or leaves the public accommodation.
   A person who fails to comply with the bill is subject to a civil penalty of $25 for each violation. Civil penalties collected under the bill are deposited in the general fund of the state.