By Barrientos S.B. No. 914 75R2028 BEM-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring that certain videos be captioned for viewing 1-3 by persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; providing a penalty. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 35, Business & Commerce 1-6 Code, is amended by adding Section 35.55 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 35.55. CAPTIONING VIDEOS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF OR 1-8 HARD OF HEARING. (a) This section applies only to a video of 1-9 which 2,500 or more copies are produced for commercial rental or 1-10 retail sale. 1-11 (b) A person may not distribute, sell, rent, or attempt to 1-12 distribute, sell, or rent a video in this state unless the video is 1-13 either open-captioned or closed-captioned for viewing by a person 1-14 who is deaf or hard of hearing. 1-15 (c) A person who violates this section commits an offense. 1-16 An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by fine 1-17 only not to exceed $100 for each violation. 1-18 (d) In this section: 1-19 (1) "Deaf" has the meaning assigned by Section 81.001, 1-20 Human Resources Code. 1-21 (2) "Hard of hearing" has the meaning assigned by 1-22 Section 81.001, Human Resources Code. 1-23 (3) "Video" means a videocassette, video tape, or 1-24 optical laser disc. 2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 1998, but 2-2 applies only to a video, as defined by Section 35.55, Business & 2-3 Commerce Code, as added by this Act, released or rereleased for 2-4 distribution on or after that date. 2-5 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.