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Tags: 110th congress, 13 april, 21st century, congress 2d session, house of representatives, individuals with disabilities, ml, programming technologies, sac, section 1, senate, states of america, table of contents, tives, twenty first century communications, united states of america, video programming,
Pages: 25
Language: english
Created: Fri Apr 25 14:31:43 2008
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            F:\SAC\110TEL\ACCESS\CVAA_001.XML




                                                    [STAFF DISCUSSION DRAFT]
                                                                               APRIL 25, 2008



                                                                       H. R. ll
                                110TH CONGRESS
                                   2D SESSION


                                To ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to emerging Internet-
                                    based communication and video programming technologies in the 21st
                                    Century.




                                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                   Ml. llllll introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                                          Committee on llllllllllllll




                                                                          A BILL
                                To ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to
                                   emerging Internet-based communication and video pro-
                                   gramming technologies in the 21st Century.

                                  1               Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
                                  2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
                                  3        SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

                                  4               (a) SHORT TITLE.--This Act may be cited as the
                                  5 ``Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Acces-
                                  6 sibility Act of 2008''.
                                  7               (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.--

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                                                                                           2
                                           Sec. 1. Short title; Table of contents.

                                                                    TITLE I--COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS

                                           Sec.  101.    Definitions.
                                           Sec.  102.    Hearing aid compatibility.
                                           Sec.  103.    Relay services.
                                           Sec.  104.    Access to Internet-based services and equipment.
                                                ``Sec.   255A. Access to Internet-based services and equipment.
                                           Sec. 105.     Universal service.

                                                                     TITLE II--VIDEO PROGRAMMING

                                           Sec. 201. Commission inquiry on closed captioning decoder and video descrip-
                                                           tion capability, user interfaces, and video programming guides
                                                           and menus.
                                           Sec. 202. Closed captioning decoder and video description capability.
                                           Sec. 203. Video description and closed captioning.
                                           Sec. 204. User interfaces regulations.
                                           Sec. 205. Access to video programming guides and menus.

                                  1               TITLE I--COMMUNICATIONS
                                  2                         ACCESS
                                  3        SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.

                                  4                Section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
                                  5 U.S.C. 153) is amended--
                                  6                         (1) by adding at the end the following new
                                  7                paragraphs:
                                  8                         ``(53) DISABILITY.--The term `disability' has
                                  9                the meaning given such term by section 3(2)(A) of
                                10                 the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42
                                11                 U.S.C. 12102(2)(A)).
                                12                          ``(54) INTERCONNECTED                           VOIP SERVICE.--The

                                13                 term `interconnected VoIP service' has the meaning
                                14                 given such term by section 9.3 of the Commission's
                                15                 rules (47 CFR 9.3).



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                                                                                          3
                                  1                        ``(55)        INTERNET-ENABLED                         COMMUNICATION

                                  2               SERVICE.--The                 term `Internet-enabled communica-
                                  3               tion service' means--
                                  4                                ``(A) an interconnected VoIP service; or
                                  5                                ``(B) a transmission service between or
                                  6                        among points specified by the user, of informa-
                                  7                        tion of the user's choosing, using the Internet
                                  8                        protocol (or a successor protocol) if such trans-
                                  9                        mission is for the purpose of enabling bilateral
                                10                         or multilateral voice, text, or video communica-
                                11                         tion, utilization of interactive voice response or
                                12                         voice mail systems, or other similar communica-
                                13                         tions-based applications, and uses--
                                14                                         ``(I) an Internet connection from the
                                15                                 user's location; and
                                16                                         ``(ii) customer premises equipment
                                17                                 that is compatible with the Internet pro-
                                18                                 tocol (or a successor protocol).''; and
                                19                         (2) by reordering paragraphs (1) through (52)
                                20                and the paragraphs added by paragraph (1) of this
                                21                section in alphabetical order based on the headings
                                22                of such paragraphs, and renumbering such para-
                                23                graphs as so reordered.




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                                                                                          4
                                  1        SEC. 102. HEARING AID COMPATIBILITY.

                                  2               (a) AMENDMENT.--Section 710(b)(1) of the Commu-
                                  3 nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 610(b)(1)) is amended--
                                  4                        (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subpara-
                                  5               graph (A);
                                  6                        (2) by inserting ``and'' after the comma at the
                                  7               end of subparagraph (B); and
                                  8                        (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
                                  9               lowing new subparagraph:
                                10                         ``(C) all customer premises equipment used to
                                11                provide an Internet-enabled communication service
                                12                that provides voice communication via a built-in
                                13                speaker (typically held to the ear) and that are man-
                                14                ufactured in the United States (other than for ex-
                                15                port) more than one year after the date of enact-
                                16                ment of the Twenty-first Century Communications
                                17                and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 or shipped in
                                18                interstate commerce in the United States more than
                                19                one year after such date,''.
                                20         SEC. 103. RELAY SERVICES.

                                21                (a) DEFINITION.--Paragraph (3) of section 225(a) of
                                22 the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 225(a)(3))
                                23 is amended to read as follows:
                                24                         ``(3)       TELECOMMUNICATIONS                            RELAY            SERV-

                                25                ICES.--The            term `telecommunications relay services'
                                26                means telephone transmission that provides the abil-
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                                                                                          5
                                  1               ity for an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing
                                  2               or who has a speech disability to engage in commu-
                                  3               nication by wire or radio with one or more individ-
                                  4               uals, in a manner that is functionally equivalent to
                                  5               the ability of a hearing individual who does not have
                                  6               a speech disability to communicate using voice com-
                                  7               munication services by wire or radio.''.
                                  8               (b)          INTERNET-BASED                           TELECOMMUNICATIONS
                                  9 RELAY SERVICES.--Section 225 of such Act is further
                                10 amended--
                                11                         (1) by inserting ``BY COMMON CARRIERS'' after
                                12                ``PROVISION             OF     SERVICES'' in the heading of sub-
                                13                section (c);
                                14                         (2) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), and
                                15                (g) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively;
                                16                         (3) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
                                17                lowing new subsection:
                                18                ``(e)        INTERNET-BASED                           TELECOMMUNICATIONS
                                19 RELAY SERVICES.--
                                20                         ``(1)      PROVIDER                OBLIGATIONS.--Within                    one
                                21                year after the date of enactment of the Twenty-first
                                22                Century Communications and Video Accessibility
                                23                Act of 2008, each interconnected VoIP service pro-
                                24                vider and each provider of Internet-enabled voice
                                25                communication service shall--


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                                                                                          6
                                  1                                ``(A) provide, throughout the area in which
                                  2                        it offers such service, telecommunications relay
                                  3                        services,            individually,                through           designees,
                                  4                        through a competitively selected vendor, or in
                                  5                        concert with other carriers, providers of Inter-
                                  6                        connected VoIP services, or providers of Inter-
                                  7                        net-enabled voice communication services; and
                                  8                                ``(B) participate in and contribute to the
                                  9                        Telecommunications Relay Services Fund estab-
                                10                         lished in section 64.404(c)(5)(iii) of the Com-
                                11                         mission's                      regulations                 (47              CFR
                                12                         64.404(c)(5)(iii)), as in effect on the date of en-
                                13                         actment of such Act, in a manner prescribed by
                                14                         the Commission by regulation to provide for ob-
                                15                         ligations of such providers that are consistent
                                16                         with and comparable to the obligations of other
                                17                         participants in and contributors to such Fund.
                                18                         ``(2) RULE              OF         CONSTRUCTION.--Nothing                    in
                                19                this subsection shall be construed to limit the au-
                                20                thority of a State to regulate its certified State oper-
                                21                ated telecommunications relay program, including a
                                22                program that employs the use of Internet-based
                                23                relay services.'';
                                24                         (4) in subsection (f)(1) (as redesignated by
                                25                paragraph (2) of this subsection), by striking ``sub-


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                                                                                          7
                                  1               sections (f) and (g)'' and inserting ``subsections (g)
                                  2               and (h)'';
                                  3                        (5) in subsections (h)(1) and (h)(2)(B) (as so
                                  4               redesignated), by striking ``subsection (f)'' each
                                  5               place it appears and inserting ``subsection (g)''.
                                  6        SEC. 104. ACCESS TO INTERNET-BASED SERVICES AND

                                  7                                EQUIPMENT.

                                  8               Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
                                  9 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section
                                10 255 the following new section:
                                11         ``SEC. 255A. ACCESS TO INTERNET-BASED SERVICES AND

                                12                                 EQUIPMENT.

                                13                ``(a) MANUFACTURING.--A manufacturer of equip-
                                14 ment used for Internet-enabled communication services,
                                15 including end user equipment, network equipment, and
                                16 software, shall ensure that the equipment is designed, de-
                                17 veloped, and fabricated to be accessible to and usable by
                                18 individuals with disabilities, unless the requirement of this
                                19 subsection would result in an undue burden.
                                20                ``(b) SERVICE PROVIDERS.--A provider of Internet-
                                21 enabled communication service shall ensure that its service
                                22 is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities,
                                23 unless the requirement of this subsection would result in
                                24 an undue burden.




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                                                                                          8
                                  1               ``(c) REAL-TIME TEXT SUPPORT.--In order to facili-
                                  2 tate seamless real-time text communication between inter-
                                  3 connected VoIP service or Internet-enabled communica-
                                  4 tion service and telecommunications services, real-time
                                  5 voice and text conversation products and telecommuni-
                                  6 cations services shall at a minimum, use the standard real-
                                  7 time text conversation format for the transport technology
                                  8 used by the product or service, unless the requirement of
                                  9 this subsection would result in an undue burden. All real-
                                10 time text communication formats shall, in order to ensure
                                11 accurate transmission, have less than one percent char-
                                12 acter error and be transmitted as text data, not audio
                                13 tones.
                                14                ``(d) COMPATIBILITY.--Whenever the requirements
                                15 of subsections (a), (b), and (c) constitute an undue bur-
                                16 den, such manufacturer or provider shall ensure that the
                                17 equipment or service is compatible with existing peripheral
                                18 devices or specialized customer premises equipment com-
                                19 monly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve ac-
                                20 cess, unless the requirement of this subsection would re-
                                21 sult in an undue burden.
                                22                ``(e) NETWORK INTERCONNECTION.--Each provider
                                23 of Internet-enabled communication service has the duty
                                24 not to install network features, functions, or capabilities
                                25 that do not comply with the regulations established pursu-


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                                                                                          9
                                  1 ant to this section. The real-time text data formats of all
                                  2 interconnected VoIP services and Internet-enabled com-
                                  3 munication services established pursuant to this section
                                  4 shall interoperate.
                                  5               ``(f) REGULATIONS.--Within one year after the date
                                  6 of enactment of the Twenty-first Century Communications
                                  7 and Video Accessibility Act of 2008, the Commission shall
                                  8 prescribe such regulations as are necessary to implement
                                  9 this section. In prescribing the regulations, the Commis-
                                10 sion shall--
                                11                         ``(1) include standards to ensure the accessi-
                                12                bility, usability, and compatibility of Internet-en-
                                13                abled communication services and equipment by in-
                                14                dividuals with disabilities;
                                15                         ``(2) include standards to ensure the real-time
                                16                text support required by subsection (c);
                                17                         ``(3) provide that Internet-enabled communica-
                                18                tion services, the equipment used for such services,
                                19                and Internet-enabled communication networks may
                                20                not impair or impede the accessibility of information
                                21                content when accessibility has been incorporated into
                                22                that content for transmission through Internet-en-
                                23                abled communication services, networks, or equip-
                                24                ment;




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                                                                                          10
                                  1                        ``(4) require each manufacturer of equipment
                                  2               used for Internet-enabled communication services
                                  3               and each provider of Internet-enabled communica-
                                  4               tion service--
                                  5                                ``(A) to file with the Commission a written
                                  6                        accessibility and compatibility impact analysis
                                  7                        for each product or service released to the pub-
                                  8                        lic that describes steps to achieve access, includ-
                                  9                        ing information about the company's efforts to
                                10                         consult with individuals with disabilities, de-
                                11                         scriptions of a product or service's accessibility
                                12                         features, and information about the product or
                                13                         service's compatibility with peripheral devices or
                                14                         specialized customer premises equipment com-
                                15                         monly used by persons with disabilities to
                                16                         achieve access; and
                                17                                 ``(B) to file a report with the Commission
                                18                         that describes the steps that have been taken by
                                19                         such manufacturer or provider to implement
                                20                         this Act on an annual basis;
                                21                         ``(5) include enforcement and complaint proce-
                                22                dures that shall--
                                23                                 ``(A) require the Commission to resolve
                                24                         complaints alleging a violation of this section
                                25                         within 90 days;


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                                                                                          11
                                  1                                ``(B) provide for a separate and identifi-
                                  2                        able electronic, telephonic, and physical recep-
                                  3                        tacle for the receipt of (both formal and infor-
                                  4                        mal) complaints filed under this section; and
                                  5                                ``(C) facilitate the filing of formal com-
                                  6                        plaints.
                                  7               ``(g) REMEDIES.--The limitations on actions in sec-
                                  8 tion 255(f) shall not apply to this section.
                                  9               ``(h) REPORTING.--Every two years after the date of
                                10 enactment of the Twenty-first Century Communications
                                11 and Video Accessibility Act of 2008, the Commission shall
                                12 submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
                                13 and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on
                                14 Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives
                                15 that assesses the level of compliance with this section and
                                16 evaluates the extent to which any accessibility barriers still
                                17 exist with respect to new technologies. Such report shall
                                18 include information about the number and resolution of
                                19 complaints brought under this section.
                                20                ``(I) CLEARINGHOUSE.--The Commission shall, in co-
                                21 ordination with the Access Board and the National Tele-
                                22 communications and Information Administration, estab-
                                23 lish a clearinghouse of information on the availability of
                                24 accessible products and services and accessibility solutions
                                25 required under this section. Such information shall be


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                                                                                          12
                                  1 made publicly available on the Commission's website and
                                  2 by other means, and shall include an annually updated list
                                  3 of products and services with access features.
                                  4               ``(j) OUTREACH                AND       EDUCATION.--Within one year
                                  5 after the date of enactment of the Twenty-first Century
                                  6 Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008, the
                                  7 Commission, in coordination with the National Tele-
                                  8 communications and Information Administration, shall
                                  9 conduct an informational and educational program de-
                                10 signed to inform the public about the availability of the
                                11 clearinghouse, and the protections and remedies available
                                12 under this section.
                                13                ``(k) DEFINITION.--For purposes of this section the
                                14 term `undue burden' means significant difficulty or ex-
                                15 pense. In determining whether the requirements of any
                                16 provision of this section would result in an undue burden,
                                17 the factors to be considered include--
                                18                         ``(1) the nature and cost of the steps required
                                19                for the manufacturer or provider;
                                20                         ``(2) the impact on the operation of the manu-
                                21                facturer or provider;
                                22                         ``(3) the financial resources of the manufacturer
                                23                or provider; and
                                24                         ``(4) the type of operations of the manufacturer
                                25                or provider.''.


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                                                                                          13
                                  1        SEC. 105. UNIVERSAL SERVICE.

                                  2               (a) CONSUMERS WITH DISABILITIES.--Section 254
                                  3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) is
                                  4 amended--
                                  5                        (1) in subsection (b)--
                                  6                                (A) by redesignating paragraph (7) as
                                  7                        paragraph (8); and
                                  8                                (B) by inserting after paragraph (6) the
                                  9                        following new paragraph:
                                10                         ``(7) ACCESS              BY CONSUMERS WITH DISABIL-

                                11                ITIES.--Consumers                   with disabilities should have ac-
                                12                cess to telecommunications and Internet-enabled
                                13                communication services, including interexchange
                                14                services and advanced telecommunications and infor-
                                15                mation services.''; and
                                16                         (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the
                                17                following new paragraph:
                                18                         ``(4) INDIVIDUALS                    WITH DISABILITIES.--Not-

                                19                withstanding subsection (j), the Commission may, in
                                20                order to implement the principle established in sub-
                                21                section (b)(7), designate telecommunications services
                                22                that are needed by individuals with disabilities to en-
                                23                gage in communication with one or more other indi-
                                24                viduals in a manner that is functionally equivalent
                                25                to the ability of individuals without disabilities to en-
                                26                gage in such communication as services supported
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                                                                                          14
                                  1               by Lifeline and Link Up assistance programs and
                                  2               other Federal universal service support mecha-
                                  3               nisms.''.
                                  4               (b) ALLOCATION                  OF      USF         FOR   SERVICES         FOR      INDI-
                                  5        VIDUALS        WITH DISABILITIES.--Section 254 of the Com-
                                  6 munications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) is further
                                  7 amended--
                                  8                        (1) by redesignating subsections (i) through (l)
                                  9               as subsections (j) through (m), respectively; and
                                10                         (2) by inserting after subsection (h) the fol-
                                11                lowing new subsection:
                                12                ``(i) INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND.--
                                13                         ``(1) IN       GENERAL.--Within                    6 months after the
                                14                date of the enactment of the Twenty-first Century
                                15                Communications and Video Accessibility Act of
                                16                2008, the Commission shall establish rules that de-
                                17                fine as eligible for universal service support, pro-
                                18                grams that are certified by a State commission or
                                19                approved by the Commission for the distribution of
                                20                specialized customer premises equipment designed to
                                21                make telecommunications and Internet-enabled com-
                                22                munication service, including interexchange services
                                23                and advanced telecommunications and information
                                24                services, accessible by individuals who are deaf-blind.




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                                                                                          15
                                  1                        ``(2) DEFINITION.--For the purposes of this
                                  2               subsection, the term `individuals who are deaf-blind'
                                  3               has the same meaning as such term has in the
                                  4               Helen Keller National Center Act, as amended by
                                  5               the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992 (29
                                  6               U.S.C. 1905(2)).
                                  7                        ``(3) ANNUAL               AMOUNT.--The                 total amount of
                                  8               universal service support that may be obligated or
                                  9               expended under this subsection for any fiscal year
                                10                may not exceed $10,000,000.''.
                                11         TITLE II--VIDEO PROGRAMMING
                                12         SEC. 201. COMMISSION INQUIRY ON CLOSED CAPTIONING

                                13                                 DECODER AND VIDEO DESCRIPTION CAPA-

                                14                                 BILITY, USER INTERFACES, AND VIDEO PRO-

                                15                                 GRAMMING GUIDES AND MENUS.

                                16                (a) INQUIRY REQUIRED.--Within 180 days after the
                                17 date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communica-
                                18 tions Commission shall complete an inquiry on the fol-
                                19 lowing subjects:
                                20                         (1) CLOSED-CAPTIONING                          DECODER AND VIDEO

                                21                DESCRIPTION CAPABILITY.--With                                  respect to closed
                                22                captioning decoder and video description capability,
                                23                the Commission shall--
                                24                                  (A) identify--




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                                                                                          16
                                  1                                        (i) the formats and software com-
                                  2                                monly used by video programming pro-
                                  3                                viders or owners for exhibition on new
                                  4                                technologies, including those used by Inter-
                                  5                                net-enabled and digital wireless services;
                                  6                                and
                                  7                                        (ii) the related technical issues associ-
                                  8                                ated with the implementation of closed
                                  9                                captioning and video description by means
                                10                                 of such new technologies;
                                11                                 (B) identify the technical standards, proto-
                                12                         cols, and procedures needed for the trans-
                                13                         mission of closed captioning and video descrip-
                                14                         tion by means of Internet-enabled services and
                                15                         digital wireless devices; and
                                16                                 (C) identify technical standards, protocols,
                                17                         and procedures to enable video programming
                                18                         providers and owners to transmit emergency
                                19                         alerts in a manner that is accessible to individ-
                                20                         uals who are blind or visually impaired.
                                21                         (2) USER            INTERFACES.--With                    respect to user
                                22                interfaces, the Commission shall--
                                23                                 (A) identify the technical standards, proto-
                                24                         cols, and procedures needed to enable apparatus
                                25                         designed to receive or display video program-


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                                                                                          17
                                  1                        ming transmitted simultaneously with sound
                                  2                        (including apparatus designed to receive or dis-
                                  3                        play video programming transmitted by means
                                  4                        of Internet-enabled services) to be capable of
                                  5                        making its apparatus functions, including the
                                  6                        receipt, display, navigation or selection of video
                                  7                        programming, accessible to and usable by indi-
                                  8                        viduals with disabilities; and
                                  9                                (B) identify the technical standards, proto-
                                10                         cols, and procedures needed to enable on-screen
                                11                         text menus and other visual indicators used to
                                12                         access video programming functions--
                                13                                         (i) to display such menus or indica-
                                14                                 tors; and
                                15                                         (ii) to provide accompanying audio
                                16                                 output, to enable control of such functions
                                17                                 by individuals who are blind or have low vi-
                                18                                 sion.
                                19                         (3)        VIDEO               PROGRAMMING                GUIDES           AND

                                20                MENUS.--With                 respect to video programming guides
                                21                and menus, the Commission shall identify the tech-
                                22                nical standards, protocols, and procedures needed to
                                23                enable video programming information and selection
                                24                provided by means of a navigational device, guide, or
                                25                menu to be accessible in real-time by individuals


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                                                                                          18
                                  1               with disabilities who are unable to read the visual
                                  2               display.
                                  3               (b) REPORT             ON      STUDY.--Within one year after the
                                  4 date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall sub-
                                  5 mit to the Congress a report on the results of such inquiry.
                                  6        SEC. 202. CLOSED CAPTIONING DECODER AND VIDEO DE-

                                  7                                SCRIPTION CAPABILITY.

                                  8               (a) AUTHORITY                  TO       REGULATE.--Section 303(u) of
                                  9 the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303(u)) is
                                10 amended to read as follows:
                                11                ``(u) Require that every apparatus designed to receive
                                12 or display video programming transmitted simultaneously
                                13 with sound, including apparatus designed to receive or dis-
                                14 play video programming transmitted by means of Internet-
                                15 enabled services, that are shipped in interstate commerce
                                16 or manufactured in the United States--
                                17                         ``(1) be equipped with built-in closed caption
                                18                decoding capability designed to display closed-cap-
                                19                tioned video programming;
                                20                         ``(2) have sufficient capacity to make available
                                21                the transmission and delivery of video description
                                22                services as required by section 713(f); and
                                23                         ``(3) have the capability to display emergency
                                24                information, including Emergency Alert System mes-




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                                                                                          19
                                  1               sages, in a manner that is accessible to individuals
                                  2               who are blind or visually-impaired.''.
                                  3               (b) SHIPMENT IN COMMERCE.--Section 330(b) of the
                                  4 Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 330) is amend-
                                  5 ed--
                                  6                        (1) by striking the second sentence and insert-
                                  7               ing the following: ``Such rules shall provide perform-
                                  8               ance and display standards for such built-in decoder
                                  9               circuitry, the transmission and delivery of video de-
                                10                scription over technologies that are based in digital
                                11                signals, Internet-enabled services, wireless devices,
                                12                or other methods, and the transmission of closed
                                13                captioning over technologies that are based in Inter-
                                14                net-enabled services, wireless devices, or other tech-
                                15                nologies.'';
                                16                         (2) in the fourth sentence, by inserting ``and
                                17                video description service'' after ``closed-captioning
                                18                service''; and
                                19                         (3) by striking the last sentence.
                                20                (c) IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS.--The Federal
                                21 Communications Commission shall prescribe such regula-
                                22 tions as are necessary to implement the amendments made
                                23 by subsections (a) and (b) within 18 months after the date
                                24 of enactment of this Act.




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                                                                                          20
                                  1        SEC. 203. VIDEO DESCRIPTION AND CLOSED CAPTIONING.

                                  2               Section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
                                  3 U.S.C. 613) is amended by striking subsections (f) and
                                  4 (g) and inserting the following:
                                  5               ``(f) VIDEO DESCRIPTION.--
                                  6                        ``(1) REINSTATEMENT                         OF RULES.--The                 video
                                  7               description regulations of the Commission contained
                                  8               in the report and order identified as Implementation
                                  9               of Video Description of Video Programming, Report
                                10                and Order (15 F.C.C.R. 15.230 (2000)), shall, not-
                                11                withstanding the decision of the United States Court
                                12                of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in
                                13                Motion Picture Association of America, Inc., et. al.,
                                14                v. Federal Communications Commission , et. al. (309
                                15                F. 3d 796, November 8, 2002), be considered to be
                                16                in full force and effect and ratified by law.
                                17                         ``(2) CONTINUING                    AUTHORITY OF THE COMMIS-

                                18                SION.--The            Commission--
                                19                                 ``(A) shall, within 45 days after the date of
                                20                         enactment of the Twenty-first Century Commu-
                                21                         nications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008,
                                22                         republish its video description regulations con-
                                23                         tained in the report and order identified as Im-
                                24                         plementation of Video Description of Video Pro-
                                25                         gramming, Report and Order (15 F.C.C.R.
                                26                         15,230 (2000));
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                                                                                          21
                                  1                                ``(B) shall initiate a proceeding, to be com-
                                  2                        pleted within 18 months after such date of en-
                                  3                        actment, to--
                                  4                                        ``(I) identify methods to render on-
                                  5                                screen-displayed text in a manner acces-
                                  6                                sible to individuals who are blind or vis-
                                  7                                ually-impaired; and
                                  8                                        ``(ii) promulgate regulations that re-
                                  9                                quire the rendering of on-screen-displayed
                                10                                 text in a manner accessible to individuals
                                11                                 who are blind or visually-impaired; and
                                12                                 ``(C) shall promulgate any other regulation
                                13                         that the Commission may find necessary to im-
                                14                         plement, enforce, or otherwise carry out the
                                15                         provisions of this subsection, including regula-
                                16                         tions to increase the amount of video descrip-
                                17                         tion required to ensure full access to television
                                18                         programming for individuals who are blind or
                                19                         visually-impaired.
                                20                         ``(3) REQUIREMENTS                         FOR RULES.--Such                regu-
                                21                lations shall include an appropriate schedule of
                                22                deadlines for the provision of video description of
                                23                video programming and may include the following
                                24                exemptions:




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                                                                                          22
                                  1                                ``(A) A provider of video programming or
                                  2                        program owner may petition the Commission
                                  3                        for an exemption from the requirements of this
                                  4                        section, and may become exempt from those re-
                                  5                        quirements after the Commission grants such
                                  6                        petition, upon a showing that the requirements
                                  7                        contained in this section would result in an
                                  8                        undue burden (as defined in subsection (e)).
                                  9                                ``(B) The Commission may exempt from
                                10                         the regulations established pursuant to para-
                                11                         graph (2)(C) services, classes of services, pro-
                                12                         grams, classes of programs, equipment, or
                                13                         classes of equipment for which the Commission
                                14                         has determined that the application of such reg-
                                15                         ulations would be economically burdensome to
                                16                         the providers of such services.
                                17                         ``(4) ON-SCREEN-DISPLAYED                            TEXT DEFINED.--

                                18                In this subsection, the term `on-screen-displayed
                                19                text' includes written or other non-verbal informa-
                                20                tion, whether scrolled or displayed as characters or
                                21                images, on television screens--
                                22                                 ``(A) during regular programming when
                                23                         such information is provided to afford viewers
                                24                         with warnings of and instructions on how to re-
                                25                         spond to emergency or hazardous conditions;


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                                                                                          23
                                  1                                ``(B) during local and national news bul-
                                  2                        letins; and
                                  3                                ``(C) during the broadcasting of any other
                                  4                        information the Commission deems appropriate.
                                  5               ``(g) DEFINITIONS.--For purposes of this section:
                                  6                        ``(1) VIDEO           DESCRIPTION.--The                   term `video de-
                                  7               scription' means the insertion of audio narrated de-
                                  8               scriptions of a television program's key visual ele-
                                  9               ments into natural pauses between the program's
                                10                dialogue.
                                11                         ``(2) VIDEO             PROGRAMMING.--The                         term `video
                                12                programming' means programming provided by, or
                                13                generally considered comparable to programming
                                14                provided by, a television broadcast station, even if
                                15                such programming is distributed over the Internet or
                                16                by some other means.''.
                                17         SEC. 204. USER INTERFACES REGULATIONS.

                                18                Section 303 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
                                19 U.S.C. 303) is further amended by adding at the end the
                                20 following new subsection:
                                21                ``(z)(1) Require--
                                22                         ``(A) that every apparatus designed to receive
                                23                or display video programming transmitted simulta-
                                24                neously with sound, including apparatus designed to
                                25                receive or display video programming transmitted by


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                                                                                          24
                                  1               means of Internet-enabled services, be designed, de-
                                  2               veloped, and fabricated so that control of all appa-
                                  3               ratus functions, including the receipt, display, navi-
                                  4               gation or selection of video programming, is acces-
                                  5               sible to and usable by individuals with disabilities;
                                  6                        ``(B) that where on-screen text menus or other
                                  7               visual indicators are used to access video program-
                                  8               ming functions, that such apparatus be used--
                                  9                                ``(I) to display such menus or indicators;
                                10                         and
                                11                                 ``(ii) to provide accompanying audio output
                                12                         to enable control of such functions by individ-
                                13                         uals who are blind or have low vision; and
                                14                         ``(C) a