First Substitute H.R. 5

Representative Loraine T. Pace proposes to substitute the following bill:

1 RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE HARD OF HEARING
2 2001 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Loraine T. Pace
5 This resolution of the House of Representatives urges places of public accommodation to
6 more fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that persons who are
7 hard of hearing receive the assistance required by the act.
8 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
9 WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal law aimed at stopping
10 discrimination against people with disabilities;
11 WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act governs a wide variety of public
12 accommodations including hotels, restaurants, movie and other theaters, auditoriums, offices of
13 doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, hospitals, nursing homes, drug stores, insurance
14 agencies, retail stores, museums, mortuaries, banks, libraries, parks, private schools and colleges,
15 amusement and recreation facilities, and day care centers;
16 WHEREAS, many places of public accommodation throughout the state of Utah do not
17 have services and equipment that are adequate to meet the communication access needs of persons
18 who are hard of hearing;
19 WHEREAS, those who are hard of hearing often retreat from society rather than struggle
20 to have their unique needs heard and understood;
21 WHEREAS, places of public accommodation should work quickly and decisively to meet
22 the communication access needs of persons who are hard of hearing and comply with federal laws
23 and regulations; and
24 WHEREAS, places of public accommodation may choose among various alternatives,
25 including assistive listening systems, captioning, and interpreting, to meet the communication

26 access needs of persons who are hard of hearing so long as the result is effective communication
27 for the individual with hearing loss:
28 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the state
29 of Utah urges places of public accommodation to more fully comply with the provisions of the
30 Americans with Disabilities Act governing services for those who are hard of hearing.
31 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives urges places of public
32 accommodation to more fully comply with federal law to ensure that Utahns who are hard of
33 hearing are more firmly connected to society.
34 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah State
35 Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.