Accessibility of in-flight safety and entertainment programming

(a)

In general

Subchapter I of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 41705 the following new section:

41705a.

Accessibility of in-flight airline information and entertainment programming

(a)

Requirement

(1)

Programming

On and after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, in providing air transportation, an air carrier, including (subject to section 40105(b)) any foreign air carrier, shall ensure that all visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming available to passengers on a flight is accessible to persons with disabilities, including by providing (or making available)—(A)open captioning and American Sign Language option for persons with disabilities when such programming is available to passengers through shared video displays, such as a monitor located in a passenger access aisle; (B)closed captioning and American Sign Language option for persons with disabilities when such programming is available to passengers through individual video displays; (C)audio description for persons with disabilities when such programming is available to passengers through individual video displays or shared video displays; and(D)any aural PA announcement in textual format through individual video displays or shared video displays.(2)

Video displays, apps for personal electronic devices, and web portals and websites

Not later than the effective date of the regulations prescribed under subsection (c)(2), in providing air transportation, an air carrier, including (subject to section 40105(b)) any foreign air carrier, shall ensure that—(A)all individual video displays of visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming to passengers on a flight that are operated primarily by using touchscreens or other contact-sensitive controls include a mechanism that allows persons with disabilities to nonvisually operate such displays in accordance with the standards prescribed under subsection (c); (B)any apps for a personal electronic device, such as a phone or tablet, that are made available by the air carrier to passengers on a flight and that display visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming include a mechanism that allows persons with disabilities to nonvisually operate such apps in accordance with the standards prescribed under subsection (c); and(C)any web portals or websites the air carrier directs passengers to in order to access or pay for inflight entertainment, including the method for referring passengers to such web portals and websites, include a mechanism that allows persons with disabilities to nonvisually operate such web portals and websites in accordance with the standards prescribed under subsection (c).(b)

Civil action

(1)

Aggrieved persons

(A)

In general

Any person aggrieved by the violation by an air carrier of this section or a regulation prescribed under this section may, during the 2-year period beginning on the date of the violation, bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States.(B)

Available relief

If a court finds in favor of the plaintiff in a civil action brought under subparagraph (A), the court may award to the plaintiff equitable and legal relief, including compensatory and punitive damages, and shall, in addition to any such relief, award reasonable attorney’s fees, reasonable expert fees, and cost of the action to the plaintiff.(C)

No requirement to exhaust administrative remedies

Any person aggrieved by the violation by an air carrier of this section or a regulation prescribed under this section shall not be required to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing a civil action under subparagraph (A).(D)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to invalidate or limit other Federal or State laws affording to people with disabilities greater legal rights or protections than those granted by this section.(2)

Enforcement by Attorney General

(A)

In general

The Attorney General may bring a civil action on behalf of persons aggrieved by the violation by an air carrier of this section or a regulation prescribed under this section in any appropriate district court of the United States.(B)

Authority of court

In a civil action under subparagraph (A), the court may—(i)grant any equitable relief that the court considers to be appropriate;(ii)award such other relief as the court considers to be appropriate, including monetary damages to persons aggrieved by the violation by an air carrier of this section or a regulation prescribed under this section, when requested by the Attorney General; and(iii)assess a civil penalty against the air carrier.(c)

Establishment of standards for operation of individual video displays, apps for personal electronic devices, and web portals and websites

(1)

In general

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board shall, in consultation with the Secretary, prescribe standards in accordance with chapter 5 of title 5 (commonly known as the Administrative Procedure Act) setting forth the minimum technical criteria for individual video displays, apps for personal devices, and web portals and websites described in subsection (a)(2) to ensure that such video displays, apps, and web portals and websites include a mechanism that allows persons with disabilities to operate the displays, apps, and web portals and websites nonvisually.(2)

Regulations

Not later than 180 days after the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board issues standards under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to implement those standards and shall publish those regulations in an accessible format.(3)

Review and amendment

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, in consultation with the Secretary, shall periodically review and, as appropriate, amend the standards prescribed under paragraph (1) in accordance with chapter 5 of title 5. Not later than 180 days after the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board issues amended standards under this paragraph, the Secretary shall make such revisions to the regulations prescribed under paragraph (2) as are necessary to implement the amended standards.(d)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Audio description

The term audio description means a method, process, or mechanism, including a device, that—(A)allows an individual who is blind or who has low vision to have access to the key visual elements of visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming (such as actions, settings, facial expressions, costumes, and scene changes); and(B)allows that access through the provision of contemporaneous audio narrated descriptions of those elements during the natural pauses in the audio portion of the programming, or during the audio portion if necessary. (2)

Closed captioning

The term closed captioning means a method, process, or mechanism, which may include a device, that—(A)allows an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing to have access to the content of visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming; and(B)allows that access by displaying, through an individual device or individually used technology, all of the audio portion of the programming (including displaying the dialogue and any narration, as well as descriptions of on- and off-screen sounds such as sound effects, music, or lyrics for music, and information identifying the character who is speaking) as text that can be effectively viewed and controlled by that individual while the individual simultaneously watches the programming.(3)

Person with a disability

The term person with a disability means any person who has a disability as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102).(4)

Open captioning

The term open captioning means a method, process, or mechanism that—(A)allows an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing to have access to the content of visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming; and(B)allows that access by openly displaying on the video display on which the programming is displayed all of the audio portion of the programming (including displaying the dialogue and any narration, as well as descriptions of on- and off-screen sounds such as sound effects, music, or lyrics for music, and information identifying the character who is speaking) as text that can be effectively viewed by that individual and other passengers while the individual and passengers simultaneously watch the programming.(5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.(6)

Visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming

The term visually displayed airline information and entertainment programming means pre-flight safety briefing videos, live televised events, recorded programming (including television programs), or motion pictures that are available to passengers, for a fee or without cost, on a flight in air transportation.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The analysis for chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 41705 the following:

41705a. Accessibility of in-flight airline information and entertainment programming.