Provides televisions in State buildings shall display closed captioning for programming.
Summary
Assembly Bill 4887 requires televisions located in any portion of a building owned or leased by the State for use by a State agency, and visible to members of the public or public employees, to continuously display closed captioning whenever captioning is available for the programming being shown. The bill defines “closed captioning” as the visual display of written words representing the audio portion of video programming, and it defines “State agency” broadly to include principal executive departments and related divisions, boards, offices, commissions, independent authorities, and certain interstate agencies.
The bill includes a limited exemption for televisions manufactured before the bill’s effective date if they cannot accommodate closed captioning. It would take effect immediately upon enactment. The stated purpose is to improve access to television programming for hearing-impaired individuals in State buildings.
Impact
The bill would add a new requirement to Title 52 governing State facilities and operations, effectively mandating accessibility features on public-facing televisions in State-owned or State-leased buildings. State agencies would need to ensure that televisions available to the public or employees are set to display captions by default when captioning is available, subject to the exemption for older equipment that cannot support it. The practical impact would fall on State departments, authorities, and other covered entities responsible for television displays in lobbies, waiting areas, break rooms, and similar spaces.
Sentiment
The bill appears to be broadly supportive of accessibility and inclusion, with its stated goal of helping hearing-impaired persons more easily understand television programming in State buildings. No committee transcripts or recorded votes are available in the provided material, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment debate in the record supplied. Based on the text alone, the measure is framed as a straightforward accessibility improvement with an immediate effective date.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is implementation burden: covered State agencies may need to adjust television settings or replace older televisions that cannot accommodate closed captioning, although the bill exempts pre-existing equipment that lacks that capability. Another possible issue is the breadth of the coverage, since the mandate applies to any television in State buildings available to the public or public employees, which could raise operational questions about compliance in varied settings. No specific objections, supporters, or negotiated compromises are reflected in the available legislative history.