118 S2494 IS: Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023
U.S. Senate
2023-07-25
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.TITLE I—Closed captioning and audio descriptionSec. 101. Definitions.Sec. 102. Closed captioning.Sec. 103. Audio description.Sec. 104. Technical and conforming amendments relating to economic burden.Sec. 105. American Sign Language video programming.Sec. 106. Internet protocol closed captioning and audio description advisory committee.TITLE II—Video playback apparatusesSec. 201. Video playback apparatuses.TITLE III—Communications servicesSec. 301. Video conferencing.Sec. 302. Relay services.Sec. 303. National DeafBlind equipment distribution program.Sec. 304. Advanced Communications Services Advisory Committee.Sec. 305. Real-time text.Sec. 306. Advanced communications services software.TITLE IV—Emerging technologySec. 401. Emerging technology.TITLE V—Enforcement and reportingSec. 501. Accessibility enforcement.Sec. 502. Reports to Congress.<enum>I</enum><header>Closed captioning and audio description</header><section id="id5c7cd6527a0c41feb9a27cfcf717fa06"><enum>101.</enum><header>Definitions</header><subsection id="id633495c0f14341efa991e3244150f332"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 713(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613(h)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id96ce24b62aef4256a924bf7b33314cb5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="id0daebdad20c04f4a8db0456790f45171"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Video description</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Audio description</header-in-text></quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3f4245794b2a4cfe956a50891c3d1f77"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking <quote>video description</quote> and inserting <quote>audio description</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id4b777dd59e1849ea8fe2bad220613be4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (6);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd996dbe67cfb40229b1c5d0cbc4a133f"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida5c7e8c8203d47c5beb5fd8f96a754f4"><paragraph id="id1dbe115cc7b94907af3b54c7f12b252b"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Live programming</header><text>The term <term>live programming</term> means video programming published or exhibited or made available substantially simultaneously with its performance.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide33205628e234466baf5dcf9ffc34650"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Near-live programming</header><text>The term <term>near-live programming</term> means video programming that is not live programming and is published or exhibited or made available not more than 12 hours after its performance and recording.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id75f7cf3b9b9e4b9ba9cf2035a202d17d"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Prerecorded programming</header><text>The term <term>prerecorded programming</term> means video programming that is not live programming or near-live programming.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id3dd6627222da4181aa155bbf132f1b8f"><enum>(5)</enum><header>User-generated video</header><text>The term <term>user-generated video</term> means video programming that is—</text><subparagraph id="id87cf29b68ba94924ac9a78a50e72b530"><enum>(A)</enum><text>made available via a service using Internet protocol or any successor protocol;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idadeeaaf9e28342809f972169d7e166e3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>created and added to the service by a user of the service; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1410192b08b74ef6a74e66d31bfb4dbf"><enum>(C)</enum><text>not the subject of a contractual arrangement between the user and the service that obliges the user to create the programming specifically for delivery via the service.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id153008df73ab42d2b3f6e0a4f96467a2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in paragraph (6), as so redesignated—</text><subparagraph id="id88df1a17453e486e82976fbdae2d4aef"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>means programming</quote> and inserting the following: “—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id75a324f728a948fd9a56ed7fa20b5a72"><subparagraph id="id391610e028b6414ea972f73b2e001250"><enum>(A)</enum><text>means—</text><clause id="idb0ce194607fa4f4ca07cd77650f15cd7"><enum>(i)</enum><text>programming</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id65db991118c549e78c4b5743330d2ad8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A)(i), as so designated, by striking <quote>, but not including</quote> and all that follows and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9873138ff2cc4c6392b0afcd5fe3467c"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc4c97bb1de5b457585a1961101545bc7"><clause id="idb8e12b0e248c4c5fbcfb99069973797f"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>audiovisual programming made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol—</text><subclause id="idb6dde87783b841eeae526a13d868f624"><enum>(I)</enum><text>including—</text><item id="idee8858ef7ad649278710c7538e1f8f99"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>programming provided on demand at the request of a viewer; and</text></item><item id="id5b701aecc4f34f2fb6aa4e8fdad3f8a6"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>programming streamed live or at a prescribed time or times to all or a subset of viewers; and</text></item></subclause><subclause id="id58d867e40b80405693853c0b4b487db2"><enum>(II)</enum><text>regardless of whether or not the programming is generally considered comparable to programming provided by a television broadcast station; and</text></subclause></clause><subparagraph id="id3e608d491dfb4e59a6991ad1e643d2f0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>does not include user-generated video unless the user-generated video is generated by an entity that also generates video programming that is—</text><clause id="idaa4cf8aa32f24350812b883e3b775ace"><enum>(i)</enum><text>not user-generated video in the ordinary course of its business; or</text></clause><clause id="iddfbda1aa229e4531892bb7dab0e198d7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>generated by an entity that earns more than $1,000,000 in annual revenue resulting from user-generated videos.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idaf123cfd22994d03b47bb862dbacdbe4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definition of <quote>achievable</quote></header><text>Section 716(g) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/617">47 U.S.C. 617(g)</external-xref>) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking <quote>section 718</quote> and inserting <quote>sections 713, 716A, and 718</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="id059c76af005b4336bf2593e73cf8cbd6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Technical and conforming amendments</header><paragraph id="id0d4c407d9e85419ab961d98db1872498"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Repeal of definition of <quote>consumer generated media</quote></header><text>Section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/153">47 U.S.C. 153</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="idfcf9a91a1e234141b9b1f3264309d20f"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (14); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida457fcb5527d477c867bcba7a4b50a4c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (59) as paragraphs (14) through (58), respectively.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id2de1c6099d054b369152b555a2240b31"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Other amendments</header><subparagraph id="idc2ebde196d864953ae8fd94de8f63c95"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Section 271(c)(1)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/271">47 U.S.C. 271(c)(1)(A)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>section 3(47)(A)</quote> and inserting <quote>subparagraph (A) of the paragraph defining that term in section 3</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb5eefe66b4e34eed8ff9f56714a36f10"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Section 203(a) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/7/924">7 U.S.C. 924(a)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>section 3(o)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 3</quote>.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc712bcaad78a4194be58d55c67e8d46c"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Section 248 of the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/1465ff">22 U.S.C. 1465ff</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>section 3(c)</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>section 3</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idd4bf8dfd164f4bc0a59e4d328ec27c0d"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Modernizing title of head of commission</header><text>The Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/151">47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="iddf3fe551fa8845938a1a83e25ca409fc"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 4 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/154">47 U.S.C. 154</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="id47a4e234e7984685b444b20cb5d53dd4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><clause id="id5b2fe691257c4594bcecbc373be0522f"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(1)</quote> after <quote>(a)</quote>;</text></clause><clause id="id2fba2e8c933f4d85967ca13884248e23"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by striking <quote>chairman</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="id1d8e477bdde646a1aaa3b495e0bc59cd"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4e1d300eefa64920984a88e97bbf8dd8"><paragraph id="id01e7403fd19e405dade8c76069e10e34"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Any reference in any law, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the chairman or the Chairman of the Commission shall be deemed to be a reference to the Chair of the Commission.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7184f6383f8548be880c9089075e6fd4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (d), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id113eae4961404436a0db798f223d011d"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in subsection (f)(2), by striking <quote>chairman</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id879afd422f0049248ca91d60eb8e0393"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in subsection (g)(1), by striking <quote>chairman</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idaaa56cec26d2423e991fbed6e508401a"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in section 5 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/155">47 U.S.C. 155</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="id5c9931d4ad26419984190dcaf8dfdced"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (a), by striking <quote>chairman</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida0a37fc3f3914d5fa718bae8798ea9eb"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (e), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id4fe6156adf9d453aafedffd1f701a540"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in section 13(c) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/163">47 U.S.C. 163(c)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id868f32f2a7114ccebca7b5cc74280d99"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in section 309(j)(8)(G)(iv) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/309">47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)(G)(iv)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide4cb04a4ea594487bc81afb5dacae1ac"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in section 344 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/344">47 U.S.C. 344</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="idd025abac39724049b5ebb7f91ca4a490"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (b)(1), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id257488697c884d4db0ea56a56051af4c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (d), by striking <quote>Chairman</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>Chair</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id8e245c56349a4906933040ffba6a4b46"><enum>(6)</enum><text>in section 410(c) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/410">47 U.S.C. 410(c)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>Chairman of the Commission</quote> and inserting <quote>Chair of the Commission</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id09fa2f56ebf146bca7ec50ae8e369db4"><enum>102.</enum><header>Closed captioning</header><subsection id="idd73ce7f52f1943adbb444f535fb9d942"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id5ac4ba4f2b6c4cad8228ee96ed981ee7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (d) through (h) as subsections (e) through (i), respectively;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide84bae51eb0d4a98b9c10f1f15476d33"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc523612afa8141359f62757460948824"><paragraph id="idd4f0536190714317b0c56ade226a32fa"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Deadlines for programming made available using internet protocol</header><subparagraph id="id6ee203a67829431f8894b8bcf2751ff0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Regulations on closed captioning on video programming made available using internet protocol or successor protocol</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date of submission of the report to the Commission required under section 106(f)(1) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall revise its regulations to require the provision, receipt, and display of closed captioning on video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol published or exhibited after the effective date of the revised regulations.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9ec00dfd3aa64bb68507381c85c0f267"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Schedule</header><text>The regulations revised under this paragraph shall include an appropriate schedule of deadlines, the latest of which shall be not later than 6 years after the date of submission of the report to the Commission required under section 106(f)(1) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, for the provision, receipt, and display of closed captioning on video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol, taking into account whether the programming—</text><clause id="id382242b0d3eb4c1a9663a2a9d67c5beb"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is prerecorded, live, or near-live;</text></clause><clause id="id371edcadd3d34885bef4526d2de95c9f"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>has been made available to viewers before the effective date of the revised regulations; and</text></clause><clause id="id1332924b8c3f486ea50ea8290c2b0d4d"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>was live or near-live at the time it was initially made available.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id12986b43ca044cb080b6e9617f748ea1"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Requirements for regulations</header><text>The regulations revised under this paragraph—</text><clause id="id5eb978eef3684fd5abfcee80aac43875"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall—</text><subclause id="id4058681d575c47a2abee83877ed18d6b"><enum>(I)</enum><text>ensure that English-language and Spanish-language video programming first published or exhibited after the effective date of the revised regulations is fully accessible through the provision of closed captions in the original language of the audio track of the programming;</text></subclause><subclause id="id2e8a8d80c8e049c9931865b8e4ae0349"><enum>(II)</enum><text>define categories of entities engaged in making available video programming; and</text></subclause><subclause id="ida57f560e12394113aa3f72eb9d12d918"><enum>(III)</enum><text>apportion the responsibilities for the provision, quality, pass-through, and rendering of closed captions among the entities defined by the Commission under subclause (II)—</text><item id="id69f1b26aac244584acb1dbe5a196393c"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>to ensure full access by viewers via all entities and combinations of entities that make video programming available to viewers;</text></item><item id="id450fce483ae7463d94ea38ef3df2cec3"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>to ensure that the regulations can be enforced effectively against responsible parties; and</text></item><item id="idba15fcebdadf407fa62ad5691a9046f1"><enum>(cc)</enum><text>to ensure that closed caption data remains with the video programming to which the data is added and is distributed in common formats so that closed captions can be exhibited intact by all other entities that subsequently make the programming available to viewers;</text></item></subclause></clause><clause id="id3e505a34aa5f4747bb60eb666a2d02da"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shall require that an entity engaged in making available user-generated video, whether or not the entity is also engaged in making available video that is not user-generated video, provide easy-to-use authoring tools that—</text><subclause id="idcf6085c03f1e49cfa514cc7aa680b5a1"><enum>(I)</enum><text>permit users who post videos on the entity’s platform to add closed captions; and</text></subclause><subclause id="idfa74f92cc8f9429da2e46d332150af44"><enum>(II)</enum><text>conspicuously prompt users who post videos on the entity’s platform to use the tools;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id5f96c66232124dccb2639d35f6f5a659"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>shall not distinguish between full-length programming and video clips; and</text></clause><clause id="idad6d273a4fda47a3add92de959c80794"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>for the purposes of determining closed captioning obligations under this section and assessing compliance with the regulations of the Commission governing the quality of closed captioning under paragraphs (j), (k), and (m) of section 79.1 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation governing closed captioning quality, treat any programming that was live programming or near-live programming at the time that it was initially made available to viewers as prerecorded programming if it is again made available to viewers more than 24 hours after its initial availability.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="ida4d8376cc2174dbfa0619e11afe390fd"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting after subsection (c) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id88c4a377fe764cd7ae9537c32ae96710"><subsection id="id950980b28d364f7abd48fe645662a97c"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Caption quality updates</header><paragraph id="ideb34e4f6fd8a47d984a2e30942b8d277"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall revise its regulations to extend the requirements for the quality of closed captions under paragraphs (j), (k), and (m) of section 79.1 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, to all programming made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id4772be2048e74cb2958d8785b1cf3ecb"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Regular updates</header><text>Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, and every 4 years thereafter, the Commission shall—</text><subparagraph id="id751d3cc1223d405e91435a174525ae83"><enum>(A)</enum><text>update its regulations pertaining to the quality of closed captions as necessary to reflect technological and methodological advances, to the extent deployment of such advances will improve the quality of closed captions; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2abeb11ebe4d4ba996d8d92fcb311db4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>take any action, including enforcement, necessary to ensure compliance with its regulations pertaining to the quality of closed captions.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id41f3825e190f4c94a2359e85f403b9a6"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (e), as so redesignated—</text><subparagraph id="id4a0ed1ed58cd4697bcbeffe9e8696811"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking <quote>subsection (b)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsections (b) and (c)</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2fd59ac43fce472ca9c2340dd59c47f1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>the provider or owner of such programming</quote> and inserting <quote>an entity responsible for publishing, exhibiting, or making available such programming</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide174fd653e31477b9f50c078d441f8fa"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3e597798729849119a3264c4f58263ca"><paragraph id="idac4a3a18d86548bba6fb95e5acbd7971"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an entity responsible for publishing, exhibiting, or making available video programming may petition the Commission for an exemption from the requirements of subsection (b) or (c), and the Commission may grant the petition upon a showing that the requirements would be economically burdensome. The Commission shall act to grant or deny any such petition, in whole or in part, not later than 6 months after the Commission receives the petition, unless the Commission finds that an extension of the 6-month period is necessary to determine whether the requirements are economically burdensome.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idbb5366c2a312411c8e6daae5e396b211"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elimination of certain categorical exemptions</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall reassess the second sentence of paragraph (a)(10) and reassess paragraph (d) of section 79.1 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, to eliminate categorical exemptions that impede access to video programming, are outdated, or are no longer warranted under subsection (e)(1) of section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613</external-xref>), as so redesignated by subsection (a) of this section.</text></subsection></section><section id="id7cc8acf04c04425db6352a26a58bec9b"><enum>103.</enum><header>Audio description</header><subsection id="idbf6335db683048cb8cdbfc1ea2d5a897"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subsection (g) of section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613</external-xref>), as redesignated by section 102, is amended—</text><paragraph id="id0fed2d614f904e668ce9ab407bd3dc4f"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the heading, by striking <quote>Video</quote> and inserting <quote>Audio</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id35f3ea04635848fa938c2ad78993cee9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id75a50a56a25d40bd9427fe2f191cb51b"><paragraph id="idecbf4bb3598942c1911a81ad16e0dc7a"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Revision to reinstated audio description regulations for programming published or exhibited on television</header><subparagraph id="idac7b3d1b01ed445cb627f8586a482ab6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall revise section 79.3 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to audio description of video programming) in accordance with subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddf53a47a863a48e1a95edd0050fbf87c"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>The regulations revised under subparagraph (A)—</text><clause id="id5c0a85016f6442eba06e87159d6a8b77"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall ensure that all English-language and Spanish-language video programming first published or exhibited on television after the effective date of the revised regulations is fully accessible through the provision of audio description in the original language of the audio track of the programming;</text></clause><clause id="ida36c7234e18b4fbda7f03d1ed57052da"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shall include an appropriate schedule of deadlines, the latest of which shall be not later than 6 years after the effective date of the revised regulations, for the provision, receipt, and performance of audio described programming published or exhibited on television, taking into account whether the programming—</text><subclause id="id044aac7e42db426ba9893d1c730b9d6c"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is prerecorded, live, or near-live;</text></subclause><subclause id="idbb06ea3f3e944d559c6e8dd43ba4bc73"><enum>(II)</enum><text>has been published or exhibited prior to the effective date of the revised regulations; and</text></subclause><subclause id="ide1d2b423e8ba4a5c854037922c1c720b"><enum>(III)</enum><text>was live or near-live at the time it was initially published or exhibited;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="idf4a82c46b06145b593cec1acb4db7cee"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>shall provide that audio described programming published or exhibited on television shall—</text><subclause id="idfd9dca5cbf8d4ca4bb45fbd0b5df376b"><enum>(I)</enum><text>be labeled and searchable or otherwise easily discoverable through navigation devices, apparatuses, applications, and other methods by which the programming is published or exhibited; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id355cf1c5ba1248f7a1ca4308f76c3d75"><enum>(II)</enum><text>include a recognizable tone at the beginning of the programming on all audio channels provided in the same languages as the available audio description streams to indicate that audio description is available in those languages;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="idf0c78cfa21f5402a9653844dee4bcff5"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>shall provide that audio description of video programming published or exhibited on television shall be made available to the public on an audio channel solely dedicated to audio description, so long as it is achievable (as defined in section 716);</text></clause><clause id="id200e1cdc44284670aca7fa4bb9fc9ffb"><enum>(v)</enum><text>shall require any entity involved in the publishing or exhibiting of audio described programming published or exhibited on television to provide contact information, consistent with sections 79.1(i) and 79.4(c)(2)(iii) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulations, for users to report problems related to audio description; and</text></clause><clause id="id36dfe10b483b4c33b398a770f99449f7"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>for the purposes of determining audio description obligations under this paragraph and assessing compliance with regulations adopted to assess the quality of audio description under paragraph (4), shall treat any programming that was live or near-live programming at the time of its initial airing as prerecorded programming if it is re-exhibited by an entity more than 36 hours after its initial airing.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id36b09affe0de478781f82738d1a58710"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Audio description on video programming made available via internet protocol</header><subparagraph id="id4f56d59a0789415fa993d5496fd53834"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of submission of the report to the Commission required under subsection 106(f)(2) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall revise its regulations to require the provision, receipt, and performance of audio description on video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol published or exhibited after the effective date of the revised regulations.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idf4bf2ec802ea4d3b811582eb4797e0c0"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>The regulations revised under subparagraph (A)—</text><clause id="idfd70992a6fac4f82ac2b90a7b514f779"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall ensure that all video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol is fully accessible through the provision of audio description;</text></clause><clause id="id84d30beb7596412c870b5e67510a7b98"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>shall include an appropriate schedule of deadlines, the latest of which shall be not later than 6 years after the effective date of the revised regulations, for the provision, receipt, and performance of audio described programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol, taking into account whether the programming—</text><subclause id="id6e62b996cfe34eeaa6799847e8e35e88"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is prerecorded, live, or near-live;</text></subclause><subclause id="id577e9ace911c4490b1a2dac2593700c2"><enum>(II)</enum><text>has been made available to users prior to the effective date of the revised regulations; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id2b61f9f2789e43bcae380cbf089bf150"><enum>(III)</enum><text>was live or near-live at the time it was initially made available;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id9dcbfb62ce98486bba5c47776e0f6b26"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>shall—</text><subclause id="id5ccd45a780894dc0ad9586debc30cb2e"><enum>(I)</enum><text>define categories of entities engaged in making available video programming using Internet protocol or any successor protocol; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id6d29efc108fe4596ab4be3d9d374a9bb"><enum>(II)</enum><text>apportion the responsibilities for the provision, quality, pass-through, and performance of audio description among the entities identified by the Commission under subclause (I)—</text><item id="idadaac1c5b48e499fb9a201d11da83920"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>to ensure full access by viewers;</text></item><item id="id0de2ed91cefa42f79a8b0ec8f9cbe0c3"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>to ensure that the regulations can be enforced effectively against responsible parties; and</text></item><item id="id9ce7472bf79a483389411510ae6910b9"><enum>(cc)</enum><text>to ensure that audio description data remains with the video programming to which the data is added and is distributed in common formats so that audio description can be exhibited intact by all other entities that subsequently make the programming available to viewers;</text></item></subclause></clause><clause id="idf54f6015f7a04132b5ad3ade7c030f59"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>shall require that an entity engaged in making available user-generated video, whether or not the entity is also engaged in making available video that is not user-generated video, provides easy-to-use authoring tools that—</text><subclause id="id62768ce002a74789a449d56ff71b0823"><enum>(I)</enum><text>permit users who post videos on the entity’s platform to add audio description; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id2b2e3277b98448fe8d8e02a3fde7e987"><enum>(II)</enum><text>conspicuously prompt users who post videos on the entity’s platform to use the tools;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id9a304c9d112f430ea52dc3cbe11c8692"><enum>(v)</enum><text>shall provide that audio described programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol shall—</text><subclause id="idac4d44688a5b423a8f8aa115a3e07a20"><enum>(I)</enum><text>be labeled and searchable or otherwise easily discoverable through navigation devices, apparatuses, applications, and other methods on which the programming is made available; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id37bff46433de41fe9b25d8ed0072b716"><enum>(II)</enum><text>include a recognizable tone at the beginning of the programming on all audio channels provided in the same languages as the available audio description streams to indicate that audio description is available in those languages;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id4cb9f28230e249239ca612934c72d98d"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>shall provide that audio description of video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol shall be provided on an audio track solely dedicated to audio description, so long as it is achievable (as defined in section 716);</text></clause><clause id="id5d8ec6991ac7463a949d3cb4bfa8d555"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>shall require entities engaged in making available audio described programming using Internet protocol or any successor protocol to provide contact information, consistent with sections 79.1(i) and 79.4(c)(2)(iii) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulations, for users to report problems related to audio description; and</text></clause><clause id="idc54b1e56a2c246f0a4eb6e7418f94343"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>for the purposes of determining audio description obligations under this paragraph and assessing compliance with regulations adopted to assess the quality of audio description under paragraph (4), shall treat any programming that was live or near-live programming at the time it was initially made available as prerecorded programming if it is made available by any entity more than 36 hours after it was initially made available.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id2e9a2a6af02c4baba4f9f73ade0bb04f"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Audio description quality</header><subparagraph id="id3b528e0aa1bd44ee9e074061472399e4"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 3 years after the date of submission of the report to the Commission required under subsection 106(f)(2) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall adopt regulations to ensure the quality of audio description on video programming, including video programming published or exhibited on television or made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol, as necessary to afford access to video programming that is functionally equivalent to the access provided by the visual components of the programming, including, to the extent practicable, open subtitles in the same language as the audio or in other languages if the subtitles convey information relevant to the program that is not conveyed in the audio of the program.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="iddfddd8e843f946918a70096b088185e8"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>The regulations adopted under subparagraph (A) shall require that audio description—</text><clause id="id59198f98bb95412cabb7119c5e7e3fad"><enum>(i)</enum><text>sufficiently convey key elements of the visual component;</text></clause><clause id="id0c5f5cfbfb9b491bba1bcb9965ed4125"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>be appropriately voiced, considering whether the use of synthetic voices is permissible and if so, under what circumstances; and</text></clause><clause id="id2e118071b84a4bb39e8b313782cde7b5"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>be appropriately edited and encoded to ensure consistency with the editing and encoding of the non-description audio track of the programming.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb6dd31a3ec26450487ee25f5e0165e0c"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Audio description exemptions</header><text>Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3)—</text><subparagraph id="id49d2d19e92ff458e91a0d512784225c9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the Commission may exempt by regulation from the requirements under paragraphs (2) and (3) programs, classes of programs, or services for which the Commission has determined that the provision of audio description would be economically burdensome to an entity responsible for publishing or exhibiting or making available such programming; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id84d5ee9f1943412eb262a07a241a9a5e"><enum>(B)</enum><text>an entity responsible for publishing or exhibiting or making available video programming may petition the Commission for an exemption from the requirements under paragraphs (2) and (3), and the Commission may grant the exemption upon a showing that the requirement to include audio description would be economically burdensome. The Commission shall act to grant or deny any such petition, in whole or in part, not later than 6 months after the Commission receives the petition, unless the Commission finds that an extension of the 6-month period is necessary to determine whether the requirements are economically burdensome.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id533aaf2f86e64a36bb094fd623f2641c"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Technical and conforming amendments</header><text>Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/301">47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id23c894b28e8741578cd0a91af5265e6b"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 303 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/303">47 U.S.C. 303</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="idac762195a4c44175b1c541ff71071a9f"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (u)—</text><clause id="id34de1e171c6b4dbf87f6767007d9f6f8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(B)—</text><subclause id="idbe43e20ada6646c9b080fa9b05611d10"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>video description</quote> and inserting <quote>audio description</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="iddece5758e395421e9ea5a730ee1114b0"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>section 713(f)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 713(g)</quote>; and</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id1ff5eed8f7e04eb58b8830748cd70984"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by moving the left margin of that subsection and each paragraph, subparagraph, and clause therein 2 ems to the left; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc9abb5b5523f4304a8957d857c3ea44c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (z)(1), by striking <quote>video description</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>audio description</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb926cd7b86404058bd2039e8c19a2958"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in section 330(b) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/330">47 U.S.C. 330(b)</external-xref>), by striking <quote>video description</quote> each place the term appears and inserting <quote>audio description</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id25d19a5a234c4aae8a8c5fab4c3293fa"><enum>104.</enum><header>Technical and conforming amendments relating to economic burden</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subsection (f) of section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613</external-xref>), as redesignated by section 102, is amended—</text><paragraph id="idc6818bb1505540629a3d412b3da13fea"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="idbb7ad8ba4de243cda06b0e6d882fa01c"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The term <term>undue burden</term> means</quote> and inserting <quote>For purposes of this section, the term <term>economically burdensome</term> means</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1039cbbe5ebd40a2b6498f2bd301b0be"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>or audio description</quote> after <quote>closed captions</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida9fef676a96041f39575d6de96407d82"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by striking <quote>this paragraph</quote> and inserting <quote>subsections (e) and (g)(5)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5b76a078eb4944bfb7d6b161b44594d0"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by striking <quote>result in an undue economic burden</quote> and inserting <quote>be economically burdensome</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id61a41707389247119c8690219932f219"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by inserting <quote>or audio description</quote> after <quote>closed captions</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section id="ide801536005584051a00e73fdb76008a6"><enum>105.</enum><header>American Sign Language video programming</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 713 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/613">47 U.S.C. 613</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id5f37e799f21c4b4d8ef69abe23c3d293"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (i) (as redesignated by section 102) and (j) as subsections (j) and (k), respectively; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id352ff066113141308081c80d53d7a56d"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting before subsection (j), as so redesignated, the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id69b4188e9c354676afc2baa51fd6c269"><subsection id="ide8dd7e1ace164641a3b31237ace1d603"><enum>(i)</enum><header>American sign language interpretation of video programming</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of submission of the report to the Commission required under section 106(f)(3) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall prescribe regulations to—</text><paragraph id="id6f652763de46464c90bf54138c7a0501"><enum>(1)</enum><text>establish uniform standards for the display and visibility of American Sign Language interpretation where it is provided for video programming, including standards for ensuring that an interpreter is visible on the viewer’s screen during the programming; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9446edc8afda4889ac95a84101ce1248"><enum>(2)</enum><text>ensure that all video programming published or exhibited on television or made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol that includes American Sign Language interpretation complies with the uniform standards established under paragraph (1) to the extent that compliance with such standards is achievable (as defined in section 716) by each entity responsible for delivering the programming.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="iddd9f438d33ca44f7a71562a5c9fc510f"><enum>106.</enum><header>Internet protocol closed captioning and audio description advisory committee</header><subsection id="idc2a98566f53943e5b7a74316ac89a361"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="id05e3288a279e43688e8ff7da8cf99888"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Advisory committee</header><text>The term <term>Advisory Committee</term> means the Closed Captioning and Audio Description Advisory Committee established under subsection (b).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idcc31f9d278ad4955abf89bfde30662f2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Chair</header><text>The term <term>Chair</term> means the Chair of the Commission.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7aa66dffa9ea4837b694ad8a5826e48a"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Commission</header><text>The term <term>Commission</term> means the Federal Communications Commission.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idd5a90cfaaf6c442abc8921f13b005b31"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chair shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the <quote>Closed Captioning and Audio Description Advisory Committee</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="id6e18e85fc427432887cd87d29c206bda"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Membership</header><text>As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chair shall appoint individuals who have the technical knowledge and engineering expertise to serve on the Advisory Committee in the fulfillment of its duties, including the following:</text><paragraph id="idbeba5709df89419fbd06458bbc3a7923"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Representatives of entities engaged in making available video programming Internet protocol or any successor protocol, or a national organization or organization representing such entities.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide75ac8030bfe41968a6d32f3ab64a8b9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Representatives of vendors, developers, and manufacturers of systems, facilities, equipment, and capabilities for the provision of video programming, including programming delivered using Internet protocol or successor protocols, or a national organization representing such vendors, developers, or manufacturers.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id63a974bf28d24db68502d7da16aceb77"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Representatives of manufacturers of consumer electronics or information technology equipment used in the delivery of video programming, including programming delivered via Internet protocol or successor protocols, or a national organization representing such manufacturers.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id531c387b408a4725aee300501f5fbf28"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Individuals with expertise generating user-generated video, or a national organization representing such individuals.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id3e30365526cd4e12a550afef1180bc7e"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Representatives of national organizations representing accessibility advocates, including people with disabilities and older Americans.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb9d3fad5aa0a4469bca303441e2b6657"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Representatives of service agencies engaged in the provision of captioning and audio description for video programming, including programming delivered via Internet protocol or successor protocols.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id14e795886da643ee9075776d79e752b4"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Academic experts or representatives of research institutes with expertise on captioning and audio description.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ida7af101997e546219bbed7e853d67af9"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Individuals with technical and engineering expertise, as the Chair determines appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idd0e8a01125e84e599ffe21090f48fa6c"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Commission oversight</header><text>The Chair shall appoint a member of the Commission’s staff to moderate and direct the work of the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection><subsection id="id41241232f84b47bf912c0977fd720fa5"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Technical staff</header><text>The Chair shall appoint a member of the Commission’s technical staff to provide technical assistance to the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection><subsection id="id4867b6507fdc4b96b403a6499e64afd6"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Development of recommendations</header><paragraph id="id2dde935b0daf44c28c8bff79e4fdcf75"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Closed captioning report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the first meeting of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee shall develop and submit to the Commission a report that includes the following:</text><subparagraph id="id676b4d2ca1ed46f39051e16f26a1f067"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A recommended schedule of deadlines for the provision of closed captioning on video programming made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide9298a76bf344e7e938fc451aac5a97c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Identification of the protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures needed to permit responsible entities to reliably provide, receive, and display closed captions of video programming made available via using Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id60c0f32bd0bd451c8ddd8472cb47bab9"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Identification of additional protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures beyond those available as of the date of enactment of this Act needed for the provision, receipt, and display of closed captions of video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7ee25d131f7c44ccad30968b6961cf08"><enum>(D)</enum><text>A recommendation for technical standards to address the protocols, capabilities, and procedures identified under subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id6214e2160915415c9026ac9dc16afdd8"><enum>(E)</enum><text>A recommendation for any regulations that may be necessary to ensure compatibility between video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol and apparatuses and navigation devices capable of receiving and displaying such programming in order to facilitate access to closed captions.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcd9df3df0717491b818ac2ec999d4aee"><enum>(F)</enum><text>An identification of attributes of easy-to-use authoring tools that can be used by viewers to add closed captions to video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idedcade6003bc4c0fb97054ce206f892a"><enum>(G)</enum><text>An identification of the categories of entities involved in the online delivery of video programming, along with a recommendation on how to apportion the responsibilities for the provision, quality, pass-through, and display of closed captions among those entities to ensure full access by viewers.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide128c582e36c4d04b0bd6afd38e6b69e"><enum>(H)</enum><text>A recommendation for best practices for ensuring that programming that was live programming or near-live programming at the time that it was initially made available to viewers is subsequently made available at the level of quality required for prerecorded programming.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida4356152152340458c9492ff54bab4af"><enum>(I)</enum><text>A recommendation for defining metrics and thresholds to be used for measuring the accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and placement of closed captions for live programming as necessary to afford access to video programming that is functionally equivalent to the access provided by the audio track, with minimum thresholds that are neutral to different modalities for creating closed captions.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id136581ea881f4fb2bd561bf7f59c5f19"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Audio description report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of the first meeting of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee shall develop and submit to the Commission a report that includes the following:</text><subparagraph id="idb571cfdda99a440db46a2855180467cc"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A recommended schedule of deadlines for the provision of audio description on video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idaa3953d7dd7b4d23b19a91d2b9bb9e01"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Identification of the protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures needed to permit responsible entities to reliably provide, receive, and perform audio description of video programming made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id994924cdd28340bcb8e06650947f30ca"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Identification of additional protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures beyond those available as of the date of enactment of this Act needed for the delivery of audio description of video programming.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4f85c2a7e94f4cdcaf7072700bb86f63"><enum>(D)</enum><text>A recommendation for technical standards to address the protocols, capabilities, and procedures identified under subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc1b577b32859405fb2e52ce380421e49"><enum>(E)</enum><text>A recommendation for any regulations that may be necessary to ensure compatibility between video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol and apparatuses and navigation devices capable of receiving and displaying such programming in order to facilitate access to audio description.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3080a7a06f0c4d02a184dceaee25fe2c"><enum>(F)</enum><text>A recommendation for standards, protocols, and procedures to ensure that audio described video programming is labeled and searchable or otherwise easily discoverable through navigation devices, apparatuses, applications, and other methods on which such programming is published or exhibited or made available.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id878f8f0f54ba441394235e4875bdbce0"><enum>(G)</enum><text>A recommendation for the achievability of making audio description available on a dedicated audio channel.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9e332cb748684dd2b0248673f00b20d8"><enum>(H)</enum><text>An identification of the categories of entities engaged in the online delivery of video programming, along with a recommendation on how to apportion the responsibilities for the provision, quality, pass-through, and performance of audio description among those entities to ensure full access by viewers.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idb3410a06b9f54f4d9be32cc7741dde09"><enum>(I)</enum><text>A recommendation for defining metrics to be used for measuring the quality of audio description as necessary to afford access to video programming that is functionally equivalent to the access provided visually.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide4dcb8b820224033bee86f1164d3cfde"><enum>(J)</enum><text>An identification of easy-to-use authoring tools that can be used by viewers to add audio description to video programming made available via Internet protocol or any successor protocol.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idfd121efbe2d84057a6812c23a3d40ef5"><enum>(3)</enum><header>American sign language video programming report</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the first meeting of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee shall develop and submit to the Commission a report that includes a recommendation for standards for the display and visibility of American Sign Language interpretation where it is provided for video programming, including standards for ensuring that an interpreter is visible on a viewer’s screen during the programming.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf4d39034a8124ab087d84d417bf3d158"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Consideration of work by standards-setting organizations</header><text>The recommendations of the Advisory Committee shall, insofar as possible, incorporate standards, protocols, and procedures that have been adopted by recognized industry standards-setting organizations for each of the purposes described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id8f9e86124a1047149a34030b921a8ba6"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Meetings</header><paragraph id="id11e918f790394802b7918efa46713163"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Initial meeting</header><text>The initial meeting of the Advisory Committee shall take place not later than 45 days after the date on which the Chair has appointed all the members of the Advisory Committee under subsection (c).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id75982f86c890462dacdc89f2c3de805b"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Other meetings</header><text>After the initial meeting, the Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the Chair.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idad2311f7df1040d79e25801fe44141a2"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Notice; open meetings</header><text>Any meeting held by the Advisory Committee—</text><subparagraph id="id8f720ef37c97463b87765f79e07b2e85"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall be noticed not later than 14 days before the meeting; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2d94567794bf4427a5fbb7de3bb31a35"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall be open to the public.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id69d7c78ea72b4a5ca41673b90339395f"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Procedural rules</header><paragraph id="id63d81ac36bcc4ec29304f6495b910056"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Quorum</header><text>The presence of one-third of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting the business of the Advisory Committee.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id89d650b522f84c2f9477bc8df1e06de6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Subcommittees</header><text>To assist the Advisory Committee in carrying out its functions, the Chair may establish appropriate subcommittees composed of members of the Advisory Committee and other subject matter experts.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idbb440d4ad71c4aeca0dfbf1f76cf1962"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Additional procedural rules</header><text>The Advisory Committee may adopt other procedural rules as needed.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id60ccdde2a7d14040a44883df8685ebd8"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Inapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/10">Chapter 10</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply with respect to the Advisory Committee or the activities of the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Video playback apparatuses</header><section id="idcb18dce833484fb39a4268632530e71d"><enum>201.</enum><header>Video playback apparatuses</header><subsection id="idbd4e6933078747a2ae2b5f6f42750019"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 303 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/303">47 U.S.C. 303</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="ide7a0b0de4bc447418ac70396124d2801"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (u)—</text><subparagraph id="id83e94bdee4134bbea8efab75bf52a377"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by adjusting the margins two ems to the left;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5a3cba99ac34465397299f017a24a0ff"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(C), by striking <quote>visually impaired</quote> and inserting <quote>low vision</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id380c22686dfd455584e6aa32df27d224"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><clause id="id339a98c05cd447da81e5fab47d2fb85a"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking subparagraph (A); and</text></clause><clause id="idc8f7af854c53420a8f3be500f69d31cb"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ida1a5e3fe887b47a99626a9280504cf1e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (z)—</text><subparagraph id="id11e6dd02d45d4761b276770625a26cdb"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by adjusting the margins two ems to the left;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd90c8f11da5e4250b1eb874f51b1e4e3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>video description</quote> each place it appears and inserting <quote>audio description</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc3164e4ea58140489512cf098f1c19e4"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><clause id="id982c72a5aa56433a800aaa4fb303508e"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by striking <quote>available to</quote> and inserting the following: “available—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id22c6a6bf446c483eab91c25ce57de4d9"><subparagraph id="idf48da6b61aa64a15a2d8d4bc751b1636"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause><clause id="idf10e8303a040472ead560c9b6b007232"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), as so designated—</text><subclause id="ida9e6ff35a90040ed93fbeff3336a0a52"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or render</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id8fbb668f5f0e490ca6d50ce5d8681ab4"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by striking <quote>audible.</quote> and inserting the following: “audible, which—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id5c75e35be3734cd9aa3705b0ee9f1a63"><clause id="id7396cc12f51c41a7b512d3b58437e4d9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>shall require encoding closed captions and audio description data along with audio and video transmission in a format that can be adjusted and rendered by the consumer equipment consistent with the requirements of subsection (cc); and</text></clause><clause id="id6403ada920b84b00ad266236308564f6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>does not include merely rendering closed captions or audio description into visual or aural forms on the source device; and</text></clause><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subclause></clause><clause id="idf722329777bd480ab9633eb7491c58bb"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idcac801988527408784adeb1da82923d8"><subparagraph id="id2100ea2e266b45f5a3cb68803ac70b0e"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to enable the activation of closed captions, audio description, and emergency information on the consumer equipment.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9ed6cd1533e44df98e259ccf96aaa3f5"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking subsections (aa) and (bb) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idfddfa37f102a43c2b84a47a7fb6e5c8b"><subsection id="id8d89bf7e6c3b4ff7a465c9be0f25da86"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>Require for all digital apparatus designed to receive or play back video programming made available simultaneously with sound, including apparatus designed to receive or display video programming made available using Internet protocol or any successor protocol, and navigation devices (as defined in section 76.1200 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation) for the display or selection of multichannel video programming manufactured or imported into the United States, that each apparatus or device—</text><paragraph id="id39a53eca7c8a49948b7fb8067d971eb8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>be designed, developed, and fabricated so that control of appropriate built-in apparatus functions are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who are blind or low-vision, individuals with mobility disabilities, and individuals with speech disabilities, except that the Commission may not specify the technical standards, protocols, procedures, and other technical requirements for meeting this requirement;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id209e320e2cb04fd6b32fba6f711e1d96"><enum>(2)</enum><text>if equipped with built-in on-screen text menus or other visual indicators that are used to access its functions, to accompany such functions with audio output that is either integrated or peripheral to the apparatus or navigation device, so that such menus or indicators are accessible to and usable by individuals who are blind or low-vision in real-time;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd03a08a7eeb7446ca0ca862367a37036"><enum>(3)</enum><text>provides easy access to closed captioning activation by—</text><subparagraph id="iddb762549f81d475cbb218a2b4769399d"><enum>(A)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by a physical remote control included with the apparatus or device at the time of purchase, providing a dedicated and tactilely identifiable button of at least similar size to other buttons on the remote control that is—</text><clause id="id968352895253443b93b090a3cafc3cc0"><enum>(i)</enum><text>clearly labeled for closed captions; and</text></clause><clause id="ide9f1b7685cde42a5aa28e268444fc697"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>easily locatable on the remote control to activate and deactivate closed captions; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5a3860fe2cf646d7a670202d7d22f91c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by means other than a remote control, providing a dedicated button, key, or icon that is prominently displayed, clearly labeled for closed captions, and easily locatable to activate and deactivate closed captions;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idb47567b5ae2142abb2cc91f32a362ebc"><enum>(4)</enum><text>provides easy access to audio description activation by—</text><subparagraph id="id8b175b461ad346d794dd2581c53f429b"><enum>(A)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by a physical remote control included with the apparatus or device at the time of purchase, providing a dedicated and tactilely identifiable button of at least similar size to other buttons on the remote control that is—</text><clause id="id8209bb20f0a34d62b5e9b72f848f8ee6"><enum>(i)</enum><text>clearly labeled for audio description; and</text></clause><clause id="id3288ec97bc85479998a7db53937677ba"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>easily locatable on the remote control to activate and deactivate audio description; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5117192b866644c0b156340488b43ea9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by means other than a remote control, providing a dedicated button, key, or icon that is prominently displayed, clearly labeled for audio description, and easily locatable to activate and deactivate audio description;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9b361cc84e434d188f6bf73408fbacfb"><enum>(5)</enum><text>provides easy access to closed captioning display settings, including the technical capabilities set forth in section 79.103(c) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, and audio description performance settings, including the capability to adjust the relative volumes of audio description and the audio track of a program, by—</text><subparagraph id="id5b31a537b3fb442e98acf1e28f2a6e8e"><enum>(A)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by a physical remote control included with the apparatus or device at the time of purchase, providing a dedicated and tactilely identifiable button that is prominently displayed, clearly labeled for accessibility settings, and easily locatable on the remote control—</text><clause id="id1b7f9eb6856d4d2ba9ef26b1d6775266"><enum>(i)</enum><text>to permit the user to change closed captioning and audio description settings;</text></clause><clause id="idfede7208296646e18dc2282662432e3d"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>that permits previewing the settings while leaving the underlying programming visible and audible; and</text></clause><clause id="id708dacb1a44d4f5d8d524d2d4d0b3ea1"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>that is of at least similar size to other buttons on the remote control; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8d944b7fd8a247348711430a495553d7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>if the apparatus or device is controlled by means other than a remote control, providing a dedicated button, key, or icon that is prominently displayed, clearly labeled for accessibility settings, and easily discoverable that—</text><clause id="id09e3a6a0219e408183179aeecbedc677"><enum>(i)</enum><text>permits the user to change closed captioning display and audio description performance settings;</text></clause><clause id="id75e775df360547338767badeac69f842"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>is displayed proximately to the video playback interface; and</text></clause><clause id="id086970831cda4c7aa6f97df67bb3c2b3"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>permits previewing the settings while leaving the underlying programming visible and audible;</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id14acae770eda4e75a9fb2919a20632cb"><enum>(6)</enum><text>provides a user with a prompt to modify closed caption activation and display settings and audio description activation and performance settings required under paragraphs (1) through (5) upon initial power-on after user purchase of the apparatus or device or upon a reset to factory settings of the apparatus or device;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id620fdb74662e45cfa7b02bf993e0a00d"><enum>(7)</enum><text>ensures that closed caption activation and display settings and audio description activation and performance settings required under paragraphs (1) through (6) persist across all video playback functionality on the apparatus or device, including in applications or other software or plug-ins added by the user after the sale of the apparatus or device, and after powering off or restarting the apparatus or device, until a user changes the settings or the apparatus or device is reset to factory default settings by the user; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd61325a3c8b3441d81b5bf4e8addc115"><enum>(8)</enum><text>provides the necessary hardware and software to achieve compatibility with assistive technologies and services, peripheral devices, or specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access, including refreshable braille displays, switch activation such as sip and puff devices, hearing aids, hands-free technologies, and voice control technologies.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id0d1b201efe8f42c2818effb24a5e32af"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Implementing regulations</header><paragraph id="idd9483f23440048f7b1efa3d5a8f3391f"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this subsection, the term <term>navigation device</term> has the meaning given the term in section 76.1200 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idd5a9eec8b2e64c9f8eee1f2885f6e75b"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to implement the amendments made by subsection (a), which shall—</text><subparagraph id="idd8f6d89b036f4bbd9b4d4410d0157b57"><enum>(A)</enum><text>define categories of entities engaged in manufacturing, importing into the United States, maintaining, operating, or providing applications, plugins, or other software for apparatus and navigation devices; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id10e11c9ed6f04b61a4917b0c30014395"><enum>(B)</enum><text>apportion the responsibilities for compliance with subsections (u), (z), and (aa) of section 303 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/303">47 U.S.C. 303</external-xref>) among the entities defined by the Commission under paragraph (1)—</text><clause id="ida53fb8a6e448426397d1a3e3d67d0dde"><enum>(i)</enum><text>to ensure full access by viewers via all entities and combinations of entities responsible for digital apparatus and navigation devices; and</text></clause><clause id="ida57e7b5dd73144e89edfd3a2bc4d1dde" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>to ensure that the regulations can be enforced effectively against responsible parties.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Communications services</header><section id="id912d01fb151f4122a71eead2654e72af"><enum>301.</enum><header>Video conferencing</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/151">47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id74203af0cd334ad49f52cd31694057c3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 3 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/153">47 U.S.C. 153</external-xref>), as amended by section 101—</text><subparagraph id="id4b6bb26a273d46138ad6c53c357b095f"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1)(D), by striking <quote>interoperable</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ida3d8a25c83084c9bb881bc5aa3d5923f"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (26), as so redesignated by section 101;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8772a324025e47f1867e77de31b2c512"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (27) through (58), as so redesignated by section 101, as paragraphs (26) through (57), respectively;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0d6a3950af234a18a4c7ac27c1109525"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraph (57), as so redesignated by subparagraph (C), as paragraph (60); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcbfc95cce3da4a23a2b6658e48a9a50d"><enum>(E)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (56), as so redesignated by subparagraph (C), the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id715cc5b79b5d4a9f9332c8f7706396f9"><paragraph id="ideb9a3c3bbdfc4eabba9c37f645c0cf85"><enum>(57)</enum><header>Video conferencing service</header><text>The term <term>video conferencing service</term> means a service that provides real-time video communications, including audio, to enable users to share information of the user’s choosing.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id69afd4afeb04410ebbb81716a5c7369b"><enum>(58)</enum><header>Visual image descriptive functionality</header><text>The term <term>visual image descriptive functionality</term> means functionality that generates real-time descriptions of visual information, including images and text, for the purpose of conveying those descriptions to individuals with disabilities.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb9ead97ce8aa46cdbb767db5888f0e54"><enum>(59)</enum><header>Visual image descriptive service</header><text>The term <term>visual image descriptive service</term> means a third party service that provides visual image descriptive functionality.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idbcf3dcc3ca1142be9ea3c71ce18e2f96"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in section 716(e) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/617">47 U.S.C. 617(e)</external-xref>), by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id36b4e88730364b72aa71c5921c848102"><paragraph id="id558715fbd52047cfae62e40af122981f"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Revision of regulations; video conferencing services</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date on which the Advanced Communications Services Advisory Committee submits the report required under section 304(f)(1) of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall revise the regulations promulgated under this subsection to—</text><subparagraph id="idfdeabb4e222b4836a8b01f4202a996c6"><enum>(A)</enum><text>require that all obligations applicable to advanced communications services, and equipment used for advanced communications services, extend to video conferencing services and equipment used for video conferencing services;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id73dfb1c56bc943489e2d0e80aec321ba"><enum>(B)</enum><text>require that all advanced communications services and equipment capable of providing or enabling video conferencing services—</text><clause id="id748a8e844b3c4096813aff18573831bd"><enum>(i)</enum><text>have built-in closed captioning functionality using automatic speech recognition or similar or successor technologies;</text></clause><clause id="idba2dc7241e6f4bf8a24e8570836c0dc2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>to the extent technically feasible, have built-in automated visual image functionality;</text></clause><clause id="idcb59a313404b4d4a9720c23173c818ff"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>implement application programming interfaces or similar technical mechanisms to allow the interconnection of, and achieve compatibility with, assistive technologies and services, peripheral devices, and specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access, including—</text><subclause id="id220151f859f042b7be4b6cf7eca31a32"><enum>(I)</enum><text>third-party captioning services;</text></subclause><subclause id="id42cd85a221ef4eedbc6caf317f998150"><enum>(II)</enum><text>third-party sign language interpreting services;</text></subclause><subclause id="idf141b0ac1d6d4c6da09e22ae2df94ef9"><enum>(III)</enum><text>visual image descriptive services;</text></subclause><subclause id="idd879c0e702584323b41d120ce1d63137"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>telecommunications relay services that have been approved by the Commission under section 225;</text></subclause><subclause id="id3cca8011a06c46fbb0d13bb0794aa384"><enum>(V)</enum><text>screen-readers for all user interface elements and visual information, including presentations, videos, and interactive documents shared during video conference calls;</text></subclause><subclause id="idc77f52be66b446cd8a3e95f8d726f2de"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>refreshable braille displays and other devices used for the tactile conveyance of interface elements and visual information, including presentations, videos, and interactive documents shared during video conference calls; and</text></subclause><subclause id="idd63dcb94cffa4df8aa4e0d0dcaaad83e"><enum>(VII)</enum><text>hands-free technologies and voice control technologies;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id45d7901f2cf94fa795bca68c2c8e2e4e"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>enable users and telecommunications relay service communications assistants to control the activation and de-activation, and customize the display, of captions, video interpreters, and communications assistants independently from hosts of video conferencing sessions;</text></clause><clause id="id3e182bc4047f4837aa2765a62a451d8a"><enum>(v)</enum><text>provide a simplified user interface that is accessible to individuals with cognitive disabilities, including, if achievable, a simplified, secure modality for initiating and authenticating a video conferencing session; and</text></clause><clause id="id1f856df3c83e4c339cc51cae9ba8ea55"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>provide instructional materials for activating a video conferencing session with plain and simple language and iconography that is accessible to individuals with cognitive disabilities;</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0da4d8d74d0b430b9dee07919ed3284c"><enum>(C)</enum><text>adopt quality requirements for built-in closed captioning functionality to facilitate effective communication under subparagraph (B)(i); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id80f39d0e2fde477186dd05d4d0bdb667"><enum>(D)</enum><text>adopt quality requirements for built-in automated visual image descriptive functionality to facilitate effective communication under subparagraph (B)(ii).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="idf84b8989b7e945c89aca1dcca26707ca"><enum>302.</enum><header>Relay services</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/151">47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.</external-xref>), as amended by this Act, is amended—</text><paragraph id="id342fa7a4f5e049e7834bc317721ba4e4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 225 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/225">47 U.S.C. 225</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="idf8fe233bdd00432690d3bb1f2f01aeec"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><clause id="idbd59a8a412754d558dd608885b6b8227"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively;</text></clause><clause id="idc670704437be43ff92a1ca5e7ef00e51"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id03d36105cdc64316ba1751cde9bb758d"><paragraph id="ideacc8a2990474187b6e9bc68809e94da"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Communication facilitator</header><text>The term <term>communication facilitator</term> means a skilled user of American Sign Language who is able to facilitate the ability of a DeafBlind person to engage in transmission and other services described in this section by conveying the information provided during the use of those services to the DeafBlind person through close vision or tactile American Sign Language.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id01cbf07d1a9a493abc3c9b2bf23fa739"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Deaf interpreter</header><text>The term <term>Deaf interpreter</term> means an individual who—</text><subparagraph id="id9eed4237e84f4308bbd4966e9caf5f84"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is deaf or hard of hearing;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idd60630acd4054ee59010c77abbb9f86d"><enum>(B)</enum><text>possesses native or near-native fluency in American Sign Language; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id109d9fee36a74280ad8ec578753b2204"><enum>(C)</enum><text>has specialized training or experience to assist in providing functionally equivalent sign language interpretation for an individual using American Sign Language in a situation that—</text><clause id="id923e7849be94418d8829e06c345f4cbd"><enum>(i)</enum><text>requires linguistic or cultural mediation;</text></clause><clause id="idb7cfe2739bd7443eaa8c0789cf258d00"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>may be highly complex in nature; or</text></clause><clause id="id13e239254fd14283bdee135395d964a9"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>may involve individuals who face linguistic challenges, such as through atypical language use, language deprivation, or idiosyncratic signing styles.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id4c50c7b66cf44762af6abad503c4b591"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Direct video calling service</header><text>The term <term>direct video calling service</term> means telephone customer support using one-to-one video communication that—</text><subparagraph id="id6c33a787f1fb4226b56e7305694e933f"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is facilitated by a contact center representative; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2e60351fbc5f45928a980855655b4c87"><enum>(B)</enum><text>enables a real-time conversation to occur directly between not fewer than 2 parties using American Sign Language—</text><clause id="id21ea0417c2184eaca134918cb49ba95a"><enum>(i)</enum><text>not less than 1 of the parties to which is a governmental agency, business, non-profit organization, emergency authority, or other enterprise; and</text></clause><clause id="id2949b627972b412abce1f9fd6948509b"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>not less than 1 of the parties to which—</text><subclause id="ide0613b07e42b42b3aae522d63a1288ea"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind; or</text></subclause><subclause id="idc754818148ba4cc980c9ecae65dbf480"><enum>(II)</enum><text>has a speech disability or auditory processing disorder.</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause><clause id="idb96d6e48a768470ea0728479a12ff472"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>by striking paragraph (6), as so redesignated, and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1395c1dd40b14717ae704b95df842300"><paragraph id="id1cc8a03695fc4525a449644a4e177f4f"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Telecommunications relay services</header><text>The term <term>telecommunications relay services</term> means—</text><subparagraph id="idf83780146cb948e2b1006b7f5fce7536"><enum>(A)</enum><text>transmission services that provide the ability for an individual who is deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind, or who has a speech disability or an auditory processing disorder, to engage in communication by wire or radio with 1 or more individuals, in a manner that is functionally equivalent to (or, if technically feasible, equal to) the ability of a hearing individual who does not have a speech disability to communicate using voice communication services or advanced communications services by wire or radio; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id20a29b83bcde4bca8aca16e051fe10a8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>other services facilitating functionally equivalent communication by wire or radio for an individual who is deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind, or who has a speech disability or an auditory processing disorder, including the provision of communication facilitators for an individual who is DeafBlind and the provision of direct video calling services for a call center to facilitate point-to-point communication in American Sign Language between government agencies, businesses, emergency authorities, or other enterprises and users of American Sign Language.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id05d1af3e694e429dbe02ea233c43203c"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id414408084f68462c9142472f28fcb665"><paragraph id="id6915cdc7866a49d5a66666a0b7b3d03b"><enum>(4)</enum><header>American sign language access to emergency services; communication facilitators; direct video calling services</header><subparagraph id="ide616228d2523406c9ba2ec5c36601ad1"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Commission shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to—</text><clause id="id76a7afe2cbbe47b38af420bd75171f9e"><enum>(i)</enum><text>define as eligible for relay service support from the fund described in section 64.604(c)(5)(iii) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on that date of enactment—</text><subclause id="id75c7357d878a4267969c4e7250cbd744"><enum>(I)</enum><text>programs that are approved by the Commission to support direct video calling services;</text></subclause><subclause id="idf1731012402a4f79a334b3ad2718e36e"><enum>(II)</enum><text>programs that are approved by the Commission to support the provision of communication facilitators;</text></subclause><subclause id="id5e025a22667c425fbb8a79720b22b17a"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the expenses associated with the provision of a Deaf interpreter when necessary to provide functional equivalency for a party on a call using video relay service, as defined in section 64.601(a)(51) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation;</text></subclause><subclause id="id5e3ed73a40714407adf0d2ca4f8b4d39"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>programs that are designed, in accordance with subparagraph (B), to improve access to emergency authorities by users of video relay services and direct video calling services to achieve the objectives described in clause (ii); and</text></subclause><subclause id="id67d1ce38a9b7406eb2f2dbba3c146342"><enum>(V)</enum><text>expenses approved by the Commission to interconnect with video conferencing services;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id927dd062881849b4bae004a93afd420a"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>achieve full, equal, and direct access to public safety answering points, as that term is defined in section 222(h), and other local emergency authorities, including emergency authorities responding to wireless calls made by dialing 9–1–1, by individuals who—</text><subclause id="id1cad1e1e50474f6bb4c6410334265265"><enum>(I)</enum><text>are deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind, or who have a speech disability or a cognitive disability; and</text></subclause><subclause id="id6e49642941f346b69b6bff459ece7c14"><enum>(II)</enum><text>use American Sign Language;</text></subclause></clause><clause id="id797ffa0be19b442ab4ca81894b1ec62d"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>ensure that a person can have a single telephone number for the purpose of receiving calls and messages from other entities calling by means of video relay services or voice or electronic text messaging services; and</text></clause><clause id="idcd5ccc571f8f4ae58c67bdf86a901a46"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>ensure that all telecommunications relay services can directly and natively interconnect with video conferencing services and the public switched telephone network.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8445a5e1f0764558a0b428398d51f5f9"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Contents</header><text>The regulations described in subparagraph (A)(i)(IV) shall, at a minimum, require that users communicating by means of a video relay service, as that term is defined in section 64.601 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, shall be capable of using native dialing or 1-step access on a mobile phone so that such communication—</text><clause id="idfb0895d2076444de8dd9c0ab9625d0e1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>includes the location information of the user, to be transmitted and delivered immediate and directly to the applicable emergency authority; and</text></clause><clause id="id105a76f2bacc4eaaa206bc70b57b374a"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>is received by the applicable emergency authority with the same speed and efficiency as a voice call made by dialing 9–1–1.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id9177c0fa9b0641a189b15bcdd6d558e8"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Reassessment of available services and minimum standards</header><text>Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, and once every 4 years thereafter, the Commission shall, as necessary to respond to evolving communication technologies, reassess and, as necessary, update the regulations prescribed under this subsection to ensure that those regulations effectively satisfy the communication needs of individuals with disabilities who are covered by this Act, including by—</text><subparagraph id="id7999b93478c1421891b9a3c39e1f25e5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>assessing the need for new modes of telecommunications relay services;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9ae9d8150ec64c3fb8194d3f23c30dfe"><enum>(B)</enum><text>increasing and improving the mandatory minimum standards to ensure the quality of telecommunications relay services; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idf8ffab99b9734d3a81aaddc2c3d62d34"><enum>(C)</enum><text>assessing the impact that evolving communication technologies have on the privacy of users of telecommunications relay services.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id306814be1288435982f0ee98b37b8a9f"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after section 715 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/616">47 U.S.C. 616</external-xref>) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida38046d4207d483aa6fc00a3ef5e6512"><section id="ide600c76283ab4c2e844d33b348551cc2"><enum>715A.</enum><header>Video conferencing services’ support of relay services</header><subsection id="idef629e0989b047c5a868a2a06064774e"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this section, the term <term>TRS Fund</term> means the fund described in 64.604(c)(5)(iii) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this section.</text></subsection><subsection id="id8d32dc66668f4b6e9552ba71b430293b"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, each provider of video conferencing services shall participate in, and contribute to, the TRS Fund in a manner prescribed by the Commission by regulation to provide for obligations of those providers that are consistent with, and comparable to, the obligations of other contributors to the TRS Fund.</text></subsection><subsection id="idecefc79ae55b4ea897d738aedcdb9100"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Use of amounts</header><text>The Commission shall use contributions made under subsection (b) to carry out the program under subpart GG of part 64 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this section.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="id5ce2ba50b05347d8b71cbab29bce73dc"><enum>303.</enum><header>National DeafBlind equipment distribution program</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 719 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/620">47 U.S.C. 620</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="id85cefe18f7774490b80cc76a6c8189ef"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9b50cc96feac4d7fbf95859a6cead105"><subsection id="idbe62696110f747cc817860e2298a1774"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Updated regulations</header><text>Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act of 2023, the Commission shall update the rules under section 64.610 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, to define as eligible for telecommunications relay service support those programs that are approved by the Commission for the distribution of specialized customer premises equipment and software designed to make telecommunications service, internet access service, and advanced communications, including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and information services, accessible to individuals who are DeafBlind.</text></subsection><subsection id="id5724cf8fe4ff4398b56670fcbaa5b7d3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this section, the term <term>individual who is DeafBlind</term>—</text><paragraph id="ida7926b16acd5477b9fba9bc0623faed3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>has the meaning given the term <term>individual who is deaf-blind</term> in section 206(2) of the Helen Keller National Center Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/1905">29 U.S.C. 1905(2)</external-xref>), as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id280f1d720a5845a586ba3d1dd2075458"><enum>(2)</enum><text>includes an individual who—</text><subparagraph id="idd27ba816c906441a8d5b5d1df54d20cd"><enum>(A)</enum><text>for the purposes of satisfying subparagraph (A)(i) of such section 206(2), has been diagnosed with a cortical or cerebral visual impairment;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id509434fcae92421e9b3a9e688196bf82"><enum>(B)</enum><text>for the purposes of satisfying subparagraph (A)(ii) of such section 206(2), has been diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id65bed65f58374c3c8330bae8211ca551"><enum>(C)</enum><text>for the purposes of satisfying subparagraphs (A)(i) and (A)(ii) of such section 206(2), has been diagnosed with both a cortical or cerebral visual impairment and an auditory processing disorder.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idb13fad215b164870aec76adaab07ba17"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (c), by striking <quote>$10,000,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$20,000,000, which the Commission shall adjust annually for inflation using an inflation factor determined by the Commission</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section id="id7cc4ba44ed8f4c10b249884773419c7a"><enum>304.</enum><header>Advanced Communications Services Advisory Committee</header><subsection id="id6392bda7fed74134906e29f29094fce6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="id74fd5eed5cb245e291c89fccd830a841"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Advanced communications services; video conferencing service; visual image descriptive functionality; visual image descriptive service</header><text>The terms <term>advanced communications services</term>, <term>video conferencing service</term>, <term>visual image descriptive functionality</term>, and <term>visual image descriptive service</term> have the meanings given the terms in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/153">47 U.S.C. 153</external-xref>), as amended by this Act.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idce054eb1ecf848f38f95b901ad22fa17"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Advisory committee</header><text>The term <term>Advisory Committee</term> means the Advanced Communications Services Advisory Committee established under subsection (b).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfc6f3713cb0f4beb86ec2ab52ed5734d"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Chair</header><text>The term <term>Chair</term> means the Chair of the Commission.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9501a5eddfbb4284951ae4e0847734f0"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Commission</header><text>The term <term>Commission</term> means the Federal Communications Commission.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id29c92e062813442b9810b8eb1ac8436e"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Telecommunications relay services</header><text>The term <term>telecommunications relay services</term> has the meaning given the term in section 225(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/225">47 U.S.C. 225(a)</external-xref>), as amended by this Act.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id1a3add7fca3447a09adf1736724d34ef"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chair shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the Advanced Communications Services Advisory Committee.</text></subsection><subsection id="idac0564f803ad4276bb060f528465ca9c"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Membership</header><text>As soon as practicable after the date on which the Chair establishes the Advisory Committee, the Chair shall appoint individuals who have the technical knowledge and engineering expertise to serve on the Advisory Committee in the fulfillment of the duties of the Advisory Committee, including the following:</text><paragraph id="ide3b593d8120e471a93fb6320932f02a9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Representatives of entities involved in the provision of video conferencing services (or a national organization representing such entities).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7d4493f6e28c444eb8c5530189faa8b4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Representatives of vendors, developers, and manufacturers of systems, facilities, equipment, and capabilities for the provision of video conferencing services (or a national organization representing such vendors, developers, or manufacturers).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ida780711b7b154bd9bc7157f002f2dfd6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Representatives of vendors, developers, and manufacturers of systems, facilities, equipment, and capabilities for the provision of assistive technologies used with video conferencing services (or a national organization representing such vendors, developers, or manufacturers).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id04d921491472467681030c3c0b50d701"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Representatives of manufacturers of consumer electronics or information technology equipment engaged in the provision of video conferencing services (or a national organization representing such manufacturers).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb83776493ccb4414bd71ab1372d8ad8a"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Representatives of national organizations representing accessibility advocates, including people with disabilities and older Americans.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id55f3ee26dfb04266a75ca2153529d285"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Representatives of service agencies engaged in the provision of captioning, interpretation services, and visual image descriptive services for video conferencing services.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2e9d2952f42445d8a96af640d5db92c2"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Representatives of providers of telecommunications relay services.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id376ef397ab604260920c5da021e8fa97"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Academic experts or representatives of research institutions with expertise regarding advanced communication services.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id5c1a24f417e9482cb8f67cd567738cd0"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Individuals with technical and engineering expertise, as the Chair determines appropriate.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id4ef37f3dadc14fed91fd01cfeb812ff5"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Commission oversight</header><text>The Chair shall appoint a member of the staff of the Commission to moderate and direct the work of the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection><subsection id="id454fd4d94cd846f4a8abaebccedfc225"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Technical staff</header><text>The Chair shall appoint a member of the technical staff of the Commission to provide technical assistance to the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection><subsection id="id72e4fb33b9224222a48565a99b2d968d"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Development of recommendations</header><paragraph id="id735ff6e6d54c48ec86e3814fb0749c5b"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Advanced communications services report</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Advisory Committee first meets, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Commission a report that, subject to paragraph (2), includes the following:</text><subparagraph id="idd6ef06b794a04da987f16819f3026619"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A recommended schedule of deadlines for—</text><clause id="iddfa034ac8813450dbec9aa4dae8cf0fd"><enum>(i)</enum><text>making video conferencing services and equipment accessible to individuals with disabilities; and</text></clause><clause id="ide77668a61e5149d9b44f84686f22c080"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>compliance with quality metrics and thresholds for automatic closed captioning and visual image descriptive functionality that is built into video conferencing services and equipment.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id78dfa4e172c34c43b557d04201fb05d8"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An identification of the protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures needed to—</text><clause id="id0031ecedf9bc47dfaa73dc1dd2f9c134"><enum>(i)</enum><text>permit video conferencing services to include built-in closed captioning functionality; and</text></clause><clause id="idad049fca42854a9faf81e81c646dfeb2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>allow the interconnection of, and compatibility with, assistive technologies and services, peripheral devices, and specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idcc9bc02fa7a24d82a9fff35b2faa55e7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A recommendation for technical standards to address the protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures identified under subparagraph (B).</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idf4a5aee332e44160b7c0f46d696095f8"><enum>(D)</enum><text>A recommendation for standards to be used to ensure that the quality of built-in closed captioning functionality for video conferencing services facilitates effective communication.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id762808be72404009b71ea04a45931300"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Consideration of work by standards-setting organizations</header><text>The recommendations of the Advisory Committee contained in the report submitted under paragraph (1) shall, to the extent possible, incorporate the standards, protocols, and procedures that have been adopted by recognized industry standard-setting organizations for each of the purposes described in that paragraph.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id23a7d53cdeb74ae4ac8ffc549aa336a2"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Meetings</header><paragraph id="id8ed6b58a0e8e45fda693d629420b0328"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Initial meeting</header><text>The initial meeting of the Advisory Committee shall take place not later than 45 days after the date on which the Chair appoints the members of the Advisory Committee under subsection (c).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id9bc2540764b54cddaa04bd5d433c9991"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Other meetings</header><text>After the initial meeting of the Advisory Committee under paragraph (1), the Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the Chair.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id139e5f06ebae49c7a19b27e979dc3f45"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Notice; open meetings</header><text>Each meeting held by the Advisory Committee shall be—</text><subparagraph id="idc34aa821885244c1ae92464b3d6ac990"><enum>(A)</enum><text>noticed not fewer than 14 days before the date of that meeting; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idebe75bfe065a41ee8846c70976538926"><enum>(B)</enum><text>open to the public.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id6a75fb9ada904050b656c659e2d6a99d"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Procedural rules</header><paragraph id="id0dd01fa15a1949bea8d491edddc15869"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Quorum</header><text>The presence of <fraction>1/3</fraction> of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting the business of the Advisory Committee.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id156bba3fdcd54dfbb7dce7acd3c555ec"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Subcommittees</header><text>To assist the Advisory Committee in carrying out the functions of the Advisory Committee, the Chair may establish appropriate subcommittees composed of members of the Advisory Committee and other subject matter experts.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6e38dd1dfa27403faaa0e2509a41a65d"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Additional procedural rules</header><text>The Advisory Committee may adopt other procedural rules as needed.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idfecff532ac944578985fe36e5395756f"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Inapplicability of federal advisory committee act</header><text>The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply with respect to the Advisory Committee or the activities of the Advisory Committee.</text></subsection></section><section id="idb14db59783104c3da4aa022b2d7d7e20"><enum>305.</enum><header>Real-time text</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/601">47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after section 716 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/617">47 U.S.C. 617</external-xref>) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id498f26db74dd48e185b5867a5bde3fc8"><section id="id9c306da970f34b678860619fd0edffbf"><enum>716A.</enum><header>Real-time text</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall revise the regulations of the Commission to require that all interconnected and non-interconnected VoIP services, whether delivered using wireless or wireline infrastructure, enable, so long as it is achievable (as defined in section 716)—</text><paragraph id="id66ec4481f506411e9468948787a24019"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the delivery of real-time text with other wireless and wireline VoIP services; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idcf28cc8a26cc4118b81de519a1804d63"><enum>(2)</enum><text>connectivity of real-time text to public safety answering points, as defined in section 222(h).</text></paragraph></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section id="id7c137497653543ada13c2af9683f5c52"><enum>306.</enum><header>Advanced communications services software</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 716(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/617">47 U.S.C. 617(e)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3ceaf90e59494766b9d7fd9ee3dbbc02"><paragraph id="id38b7839992dc46fbb28c191844a50e3a"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Revision of regulations</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Commission shall update the regulations prescribed under this subsection to require that all obligations applicable to equipment used for advanced communications services extend to software used for those services, without regard to whether that software is pre-installed on equipment used for those services.</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><enum>IV</enum><header>Emerging technology</header><section id="id4e206e87655f45ae8e8e2fbeb0e45093"><enum>401.</enum><header>Emerging technology</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/601">42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ida88174ee4ce7479dbd29c8c72126cc1b"><section id="id53bc26f21bdf407fbc8d543e13045d10"><enum>723.</enum><header>Emerging technology accessibility</header><subsection id="id9d066b31a661455a9eec4f28082129ef"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="id1e47c874997a4b9892484e1107186456"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Augmentative and alternative communication</header><text>The term <term>augmentative and alternative communication</term> means any tool, method, technology, strategy, service, training, coaching, or other support used to supplement or replace speech.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="iddc7c48ad07284f7790046a8e7b00e83c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Disability</header><text>The term <term>disability</term> has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12102">42 U.S.C. 12102</external-xref>).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id954b2ae3f535490ba1e3bea3f7becb6e"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Reports to congress</header><text>Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this section, and every 5 years thereafter, the Commission shall, in consultation with the United States Access Board, submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report assessing—</text><paragraph id="id8d6758f0ddf74e7d881f8cb9ed9d4c78"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the extent to which any accessibility barriers exist for individuals with disabilities, including individuals who are blind, deaf, or DeafBlind or have low vision, an auditory processing disorder, a cortical or cerebral visual impairment, a speech disability, including individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication, a mobility disability, or a cognitive disability, with respect to emerging communications and video programming technologies and services, including communication and video programming technologies that use augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, dual reality, spatial computing, artificial intelligence, and other advanced machine learning, wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, robotics, the Internet of Things, and other forms of advanced computing power; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idfa10fe8023a544cd9ad93fb849ad7c27"><enum>(2)</enum><text>solutions needed to ensure that new or emerging communications and video programming technologies and services such as those described in paragraph (1)—</text><subparagraph id="id121cda48559d4c70878e536192dc5d63"><enum>(A)</enum><text>are accessible to individuals with disabilities; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id0fa7658419bc44caaf12c93f2c7d2ecc"><enum>(B)</enum><text>provide the necessary hardware and software to achieve compatibility with peripheral devices or specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idef202e04f85c4f5f8395b173feac0a0f"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Consideration of effect on individuals with particular barriers</header><text>In preparing each report required under subsection (b), the Commission shall consider the effect of emerging technologies on individuals with disabilities who use those technologies and have particular barriers to participation and communication with those technologies, including individuals with disabilities using those technologies—</text><paragraph id="id9d930372366e4ddb90f2122ea5614dcf"><enum>(1)</enum><text>who have limited language or limited English language;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf4ad498c41b0458482abaff9106f3b39"><enum>(2)</enum><text>who have significant, targeted, or multiple disabilities, including individuals who have a speech disability, including individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication, individuals who are DeafBlind, and individuals who have mobility disabilities;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id268aa9fb6f7c40b99733b9ecd82c1ed9"><enum>(3)</enum><text>who have disabilities limiting communication;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id77035c6c999e4fecb308115b5bc231e9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>who lack access to broadband services and technology; or</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide00441ca464741e89fc7b4b2f32a3c2d"><enum>(5)</enum><text>who face heightened barriers due to race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, Tribal affiliation, or socioeconomic status.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idf2323f8922ab480b926ed73d6808440b"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Regulations</header><text>Not later than 2 years after the date on which the Commission submits each report required under subsection (b), the Commission shall issue new or update existing regulations for ensuring the accessibility of emerging communications and video programming technologies and services by individuals with disabilities where doing so is necessary to further the goals of the statutory provisions implemented by the regulations of the Commission under parts 6, 7, 14, and 79 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, intended to fulfill these goals.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><enum>V</enum><header>Enforcement and reporting</header><section id="id413e15fee4d2498a967724867d2fcfb5"><enum>501.</enum><header>Accessibility enforcement</header><subsection id="id52f7c569e4924b57ad2afa41ef99f220"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 503(b)(5) of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/503">47 U.S.C. 503(b)(5)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after <quote>uses that tower</quote> the following: <quote>, or in the case of violations of this Act related to requirements of accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including violations of section 225, section 255, section 276(b)(1)(A), subsections (u) through (aa) of section 303, section 330(b), section 710, section 711, section 713, or sections 715 through 719</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection id="idbcedc95e0ad945f19ab7ce98f1a13135"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Other laws</header><text>The violation of any provision of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/151">47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.</external-xref>), as amended by this Act, related to requirements of accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including a violation of section 225, section 255, section 276(b)(1)(A), subsections (u) through (aa) of section 303, section 330(b), section 710, section 711, section 713, or sections 715 through 719 of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/225">47 U.S.C. 225</external-xref>, 255, 276(b)(1)(A), 303, 330(b), 610, 611, 613, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620), shall not be used as a basis to preclude enforcement of violations of other State or Federal disability rights and civil rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/12101">42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.</external-xref>) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/701">29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.</external-xref>), stemming from the same conduct.</text></subsection></section><section id="ide5e2c69916a443ea95e4b7a66c507120"><enum>502.</enum><header>Reports to Congress</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/601">47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.</external-xref>), as amended by section 401 of this Act, is amended—</text><paragraph id="id03fe3e440235488cb3cf345c8bbfa37e"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in section 717 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/47/618">47 U.S.C. 618</external-xref>)—</text><subparagraph id="id8ad2512fdd9540d0bf90d7ae836366d2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking subsection (b);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ide9dda43dcffd483db8a1cd75603761a2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8151bc0e787f4b4898de2b8fce2b14c4"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking <quote>subsection (d)</quote> and inserting <quote>subsection (c)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idd861bc123c17453e867b9af7b534d86e"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9edff2c3fa584278bd60489fb38d4b68"><section id="idb4468fba31c846a583bb555b0c5b45d1"><enum>724.</enum><header>Accessibility reporting requirements</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following:</text><paragraph id="id344290527a8e40eeafc65ef13f5bcd26"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The number and nature of complaints received pursuant to subsection (u), (z), or (aa) of section 303, section 330(b), section 713, and section 716(a) during the period covered by the report.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idb487b51089e44f5c9ae199346f1d2a9b"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A description of the actions taken to resolve the complaints described in paragraph (1), including forfeiture penalties assessed.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id2d6b2f1b9fc646ff95a0883209bbabe9"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The length of time that was taken by the Commission to resolve each such complaint.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id6bea75ad70374c21bf1175819dd3a71c"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The number, status, nature, and outcome of each action for mandamus filed pursuant to section 717(a)(6) and the number, status, nature, and outcome of each appeal filed pursuant to section 402(b)(10).</text></paragraph></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section>