Under existing law, all meetings of public bodies, with certain exceptions, must be open and public and those responsible for the public meeting must make reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with physical disabilities who wish to attend. (NRS 241.020) Section 1 of this bill provides that a reasonable effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities includes, without limitation, the provision of a registered sign language interpreter and Communication Access Realtime Translation at a public meeting. Existing law provides that, insofar as possible, all buildings used by the public be accessible to and functional for persons with a physical handicap. (NRS 338.180) Section 2 of this bill requires that each public building designed on or after July 1, 2025, that is owned by a public body and in which certain public meetings are held must include any equipment and software necessary for Communication Access Realtime Translation. Under existing law the Council to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools is required to establish standards of content and performance for certain courses of study taught in public schools, including courses of study of a foreign or world language. (NRS 389.520) Section 3 of this bill includes American Sign Language as a foreign or world language for which the Council must establish standards of content and performance. Section 4 of this bill requires the Department of Education to conduct a study during the 2025-2026 interim to determine the need for a school for pupils who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Statutes affected:
BDR: 241.020, 338.180, 389.520