Regulatory

August 2014 – The Federal Communications Commission released a public notice informing citizens of an adopted order requiring closed captioning of internet video clips [MB Docket No. 11-154]. According to the Federal Register summary, published August 5, 2014, the adopted rules concerning video clips delivered using Internet protocol will be effective on September 4, 2014. Compliance dates are as follow:

July 2014 – The U.S. Justice Department has announced a settlement with Florida’s Orange County Clerk of Courts to resolve violations regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The Orange County Clerk of Courts allegedly failed to provide accessible court documents to a blind attorney, despite repeated requests. The attorney’s appeal for electronic documents, accessible by screen reader technology, was not provided in an accessible format for over four months.

July 2014 – The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Matter of Review of the Emergency Alert System [EB Docket No.

July 2014 – The Federal Communications Commission has announced new sanctions extending closed captioning for online video content, including: “straight lift” clips, montages, live and near-live television programming.

July 2014 – The Department of Justice has resolved its investigation of Hubbard, Oregon’s alleged violations of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The Settlement Agreement reads, “The United States alleges that the City has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination under the ADA by requiring applicants to disclose disabilities and/or medical information in their applications prior to making a conditional offer of employment.”  The City of Hubbard has since withdrawn all disability-related questions from job applications and agreed to the following: