Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,158
- Reaction score
- 7
Maine Headline News
Members of Maine's deaf community are applauding a measure to require political ads paid for with Maine "clean elections" funds to be captioned. Jonathan Connick, who's deaf, testified yesterday that not being able to hear the ads turns off the hearing-impaired to politics, according to Capitol News Service. "They don't feel compelled to vote because they feel left out of the process," he said through an interpreter. "I think that this bill, if it passes, would increase the number of deaf individuals who feel that they have a stake in the election." It's estimated that about a 100,000 Mainers suffer from hearing problems. No one opposed the legislation, but some lawmakers questioned whether the proposal was technically feasible and affordable for local cable channels. But supporters say such captioning is cheap. The measure is sponsored by Rep. Herb Adams, a Portland Democrat.
Members of Maine's deaf community are applauding a measure to require political ads paid for with Maine "clean elections" funds to be captioned. Jonathan Connick, who's deaf, testified yesterday that not being able to hear the ads turns off the hearing-impaired to politics, according to Capitol News Service. "They don't feel compelled to vote because they feel left out of the process," he said through an interpreter. "I think that this bill, if it passes, would increase the number of deaf individuals who feel that they have a stake in the election." It's estimated that about a 100,000 Mainers suffer from hearing problems. No one opposed the legislation, but some lawmakers questioned whether the proposal was technically feasible and affordable for local cable channels. But supporters say such captioning is cheap. The measure is sponsored by Rep. Herb Adams, a Portland Democrat.