Bill would require closed captioning in bars, restaurants

[Miss-Delectable]

Bill would require closed captioning in bars, restaurants

All bars and restaurants with TVs would be required to show closed captioning under legislation quickly working its way through a Senate committee.

But the measure hit a snag Thursday on its way out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

The bill is aimed at making it easier for deaf people to watch programs in bars and restaurants. Though committee members all said they liked the bill in principle, some thought it might be overkill to subject every patron to the text running across the bottom of each screen.

Sen. Brian Simonaire, R-Anne Arundel, thought it would be better to only have closed captioning on at least one television.

And Sen. Jim Brochin, D-Baltimore County, predicted discontent among patrons of sports bars with many screens, where people might get angry about missing some of the action because part of the screen would be covered by text.

"There will be mayhem in sports bars. People will go ballistic," Brochin said. "You can't mandate that every screen have closed captioning. There has to be a balance here."

Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, said that he supports the bill as introduced, but offered language for a possible amendment to satisfy all sides.

"I like the legislation the way it is, but I'd be open to simply requiring the restaurants and bars to have the captioning by request," Raskin said. "The main thing is that the closed captioning be available for people when they need it."

However, Sen. Lisa Gladden, D-Baltimore City, had reservations about how deaf people would be able to request that closed captioning be turned on. Some hospitality staff could have trouble communicating with deaf people, she said.

"If I am deaf, how do I ask for closed captioning?" Gladden said, while using American Sign Language to make her point. "Do I write it, or what?"

But she understood where her fellow senators were coming from.

"There will be an amendment for 'by request,' and to be honest, you probably don't have deaf people in every environment," Gladden said. "But when you have a deaf person, you should have closed captioning to help them."

The legislation was introduced on behalf of Maryland's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

 

[KristinaB]

Bill would require closed captioning in bars, restaurants

All bars and restaurants with TVs would be required to show closed captioning under legislation quickly working its way through a Senate committee.

But the measure hit a snag Thursday on its way out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

The bill is aimed at making it easier for deaf people to watch programs in bars and restaurants. Though committee members all said they liked the bill in principle, some thought it might be overkill to subject every patron to the text running across the bottom of each screen.

Sen. Brian Simonaire, R-Anne Arundel, thought it would be better to only have closed captioning on at least one television.

And Sen. Jim Brochin, D-Baltimore County, predicted discontent among patrons of sports bars with many screens, where people might get angry about missing some of the action because part of the screen would be covered by text.

"There will be mayhem in sports bars. People will go ballistic," Brochin said. "You can't mandate that every screen have closed captioning. There has to be a balance here."

Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, said that he supports the bill as introduced, but offered language for a possible amendment to satisfy all sides.

"I like the legislation the way it is, but I'd be open to simply requiring the restaurants and bars to have the captioning by request," Raskin said. "The main thing is that the closed captioning be available for people when they need it."

However, Sen. Lisa Gladden, D-Baltimore City, had reservations about how deaf people would be able to request that closed captioning be turned on. Some hospitality staff could have trouble communicating with deaf people, she said.

"If I am deaf, how do I ask for closed captioning?" Gladden said, while using American Sign Language to make her point. "Do I write it, or what?"

But she understood where her fellow senators were coming from.

"There will be an amendment for 'by request,' and to be honest, you probably don't have deaf people in every environment," Gladden said. "But when you have a deaf person, you should have closed captioning to help them."

The legislation was introduced on behalf of Maryland's Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

In our local Applebee's and other places that have Sport's Bars, they already have half of the TV's that have CC turned on. There are 4 TV's on each wall and 2 have the CC on and 2 don't. It makes for a well balanced viewing. Some of the hearing people are pleased with the captions as there are times when the bar area is loud enough thay can't hear and want to know what is being said. Owners have said they all did it because of possible weather aituations. Florida is known for hurricanes and people need to be aware no matter where they are.

 

[rockin'robin]

Sometimes I do wonder why people need to watch TV when they go out to a restaurant? But as for sports bars where patrons gather to drink and watch sports, yes. But not all the TV's should have captions. 1 or 2 TV's is great for deaf patrons. At one pizza parlor that we do frequent, they have several TV's. And 2 have CC, which is a nice gesture. But we're there to eat, not watch TV, we do that at home.

 

[Lighthouse77]

They should reserve tables for people who want closed captionings. My husband doesn't really like closed captioning when watching sports. He says it block the view sometimes. But some people do go to bars and such for sport events. I can imagine deaf people like to go as well. It is very easy to ask to turn on the captioning.

 

[posts from hell]

it's sooo noisy in these environment so why worry about the "mayhem"

 

[netrox]

well closed captioning is not just for deaf, sometimes hearing people have trouble listening to TV's and it could help them follow up.

 

[DGirl101]

Sometimes I do wonder why people need to watch TV when they go out to a restaurant? But as for sports bars where patrons gather to drink and watch sports, yes. But not all the TV's should have captions. 1 or 2 TV's is great for deaf patrons. At one pizza parlor that we do frequent, they have several TV's. And 2 have CC, which is a nice gesture. But we're there to eat, not watch TV, we do that at home.

I can just hear (hardy har har) the complaints of sports patrons about the captioning blocking the scores.....


lovely....