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NY A08158

Bill

Status

Engrossed

6/20/2018

Primary Sponsor

Inez Dickens

Click for details

Origin

Assembly

2017-2018 General Assembly

AI Summary

  • Amends Public Officers Law Section 74-a to require public officers scheduling public hearings to make reasonable efforts to provide qualified interpreters at no charge for hearing-impaired persons upon written request, if available and not imposing undue hardship.

  • Requires public officers to ensure public hearings are held in barrier-free facilities accessible to physically handicapped individuals as defined in Public Buildings Law Section 50.

  • Mandates that public bodies equip meeting rooms accommodating more than 100 persons with assistive listening systems for the hearing impaired by January 1, 2020, unless such action imposes undue hardship.

  • Defines "assistive listening system" to include amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), audio induction loop, infrared light sound, or hard wire systems designed to improve sound transmission and auditory reception.

  • Takes effect January 1, 2019.

Legislative Description

Requires public officers and public bodies to make reasonable efforts to provide qualified interpreters at no charge for the hearing impaired at public meetings and hearings upon written request to the public officer responsible for the siting of such hearing; also requires installation and use of assistive listening devices.

Last Action

REFERRED TO RULES

6/20/2018

Committee Referrals

Rules6/20/2018
Ways and Means3/6/2018
Governmental Operations6/1/2017

Full Bill Text

No bill text available