for such service and equipment accessible to individuals 
with disabilities, including those interfaces used to initiate, 
monitor, and control such service.’’. 
TITLE II—VIDEO PROGRAMMING 
SEC. 201. COMMISSION INQUIRY ON CLOSED CAPTIONING 
DECODER AND VIDEO DESCRIPTION CAPA-
BILITY, USER INTERFACES, AND VIDEO PRO-
GRAMMING GUIDES AND MENUS. 
(a) INQUIRY REQUIRED.—The Federal Communica-
tions Commission shall conduct an inquiry on the fol-
lowing subjects: 
(1) CLOSED-CAPTIONING DECODER AND VIDEO 
DESCRIPTION CAPABILITY.—With respect to closed 
captioning decoder and video description capability, 
the Federal Communications Commission shall— 
(A) describe— 
(i) the formats and software com-
monly used by video programming pro-
viders or owners for exhibition on new 
technologies, including those using the 
Internet protocol (or a successor protocol) 
and digital wireless services; and 
(ii) the related technical issues associ-
ated with the implementation of closed 
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captioning and video description by means 
of such new technologies; 
(B) describe the technical standards, pro-
tocols, and procedures needed for the trans-
mission of closed captioning and video descrip-
tion by means of services using the Internet 
protocol (or a successor protocol) and digital 
wireless services and equipment; and 
(C) describe— 
(i) technical standards, protocols, and 
procedures needed to enable video pro-
gramming providers and owners to trans-
mit emergency information in a manner 
that is accessible to individuals who are 
blind or visually impaired; and 
(ii) the persons or parties obligated to 
create, receive, and transmit such emer-
gency information in accordance with such 
standards, protocols, and procedures. 
(2) USER INTERFACES.—With respect to user 
interfaces, the Federal Communications Commission 
shall— 
(A) describe the technical standards, proto-
cols, and procedures needed to enable apparatus 
designed to receive or display video program-
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ming transmitted simultaneously with sound 
(including apparatus designed to receive or dis-
play video programming transmitted by means 
of services using the Internet protocol or suc-
cessor protocol) to be capable of making the ap-
paratus functions, necessary for the receipt, dis-
play, navigation, or selection of video program-
ming (and any other functions shared by, re-
lated to, or necessary to access such apparatus 
functions), accessible to and usable by individ-
uals with disabilities; and 
(B) describe the technical standards, pro-
tocols, and procedures needed to enable on- 
screen text menus and other visual indicators 
used to access the functions described in sub-
paragraph (A) to be accompanied by audio out-
put so that such menus or indicators are acces-
sible to and usable by individuals who are blind 
or visually impaired. 
(3) 
VIDEO
PROGRAMMING
GUIDES
AND 
MENUS.—With respect to video programming guides 
and menus, the Federal Communications Commis-
sion shall describe the technical standards, protocols, 
and procedures needed to enable video programming 
information and selection provided by means of a 
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navigational device, guide, or menu to be accessible 
in real-time by individuals with disabilities who are 
unable to read the visual display. 
(b) REPORT ON INQUIRY.—Within 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Commu-
nications Commission shall submit to the Congress a re-
port on the results of such inquiry. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
terms ‘‘video description’’ and ‘‘video programming’’ have 
the meanings provided by section 713(g) of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 613(g)). 
SEC. 202. CLOSED CAPTIONING DECODER AND VIDEO DE-
SCRIPTION CAPABILITY. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO REGULATE.—Section 303(u) of 
the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303(u)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(u) Require that apparatus designed to receive 
or play back video programming (as such term is de-
fined in section 713(g)) transmitted simultaneously 
with sound, when such apparatus is manufactured in 
the United States or imported for use in the United 
States and uses a picture screen that is 13 inches 
or greater in size— 
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‘‘(1) be equipped with built-in closed cap-
tion decoder circuitry or capability designed to 
display closed-captioned video programming; 
‘‘(2) have the capability to make available 
the transmission and delivery of video descrip-
tion services as required by section 713(f); and 
‘‘(3) have the capability to convey emer-
gency information (as that term is defined in 
section 79.2 of the Commission’s regulations 
(47 C.F.R. 79.2)) in a manner that is acces-
sible to individuals who are blind or visually im-
paired.’’. 
(b) OTHER DEVICES.—Section 303 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303) is further amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (v) through (y) 
as subsections (y) through (bb), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (u) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
‘‘(v) Require, after inquiry, that apparatus de-
signed to receive or play back video programming 
(as such term is defined in section 713(g)) trans-
mitted simultaneously with sound, when such appa-
ratus is manufactured in the United States or im-
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ported for use in the United States and uses a pic-
ture screen that is less than 13 inches in size— 
‘‘(1) be equipped with built-in closed cap-
tion decoder circuitry or capability designed to 
display closed-captioned video programming; 
‘‘(2) have the capability to make available 
the transmission and delivery of video descrip-
tion services as required by section 713(f); and 
‘‘(3) have the capability to convey emer-
gency information (as that term is defined in 
section 79.2 of the Commission’s regulations 
(47 C.F.R. 79.2)), in a manner that is acces-
sible to individuals who are blind or visually im-
paired. 
‘‘(w) Require, after inquiry, that apparatus 
manufactured in the United States or imported for 
use in the United States that is designed to record 
video programming (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 713(g)) transmitted simultaneously with sound, 
retain and permit the pass through of closed cap-
tions and video description signals such that viewers 
will be able to activate and deactivate the closed cap-
tions and video description when the video program-
ming is played back on a picture screen of any size. 
Interconnection mechanisms and standards for dig-
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ital video source devices must be able to carry pro-
gram related accessibility data for people with dis-
abilities from the source device to the consumer 
equipment so that the consumer is able to display 
closed captions and make encoded video description 
audible. 
‘‘(x) Exempt from requirements of subsections 
(u) and (v) any apparatus or class of apparatuses 
that are display-only video monitors, with no play-
back capability and shall have the authority to waive 
the requirements of such subsections for any appa-
ratus or class of apparatuses.’’. 
(c) SHIPMENT IN COMMERCE.—Section 330(b) of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 330(b)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘303(u)’’ in the first sentence 
and inserting ‘‘303(u), (v), and (w)’’; 
(2) by striking the second sentence and insert-
ing the following: ‘‘Such rules shall provide perform-
ance and display standards for such built-in decoder 
circuitry or capability designed to display closed cap-
tioned video programming, the transmission and de-
livery of video description services and the convey-
ance of emergency information as required by sec-
tion 303 of this Act,’’; and 
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(3) in the fourth sentence, by inserting ‘‘and 
video description service’’ after ‘‘closed-captioning 
service’’. 
(d) IMPLEMENTING
REGULATIONS.—The Federal 
Communications Commission shall prescribe such regula-
tions as are necessary to implement the requirements of 
this section, including any technical standards, protocols, 
and procedures needed for the transmission of closed cap-
tioning, video description and emergency information, 
within 12 months after the submission of the report to 
Congress required by section 201(b) of this Act. 
SEC. 203. VIDEO DESCRIPTION AND CLOSED CAPTIONING. 
(a) VIDEO DESCRIPTION.—Section 713 of the Com-
munications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 613) is amended by 
striking subsections (f) and (g) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) VIDEO DESCRIPTION.— 
‘‘(1) REINSTATEMENT OF RULES.—The video 
description regulations of the Commission contained 
in the report and order identified as Implementation 
of Video Description of Video Programming, Report 
and Order (15 F.C.C.R. 15,230 (2000)), when such 
rules are republished and refreshed pursuant to 
paragraph (2), shall— 
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‘‘(A) be considered to be in full force and 
effect and ratified by law; and 
‘‘(B) apply to video programming (as such 
term is defined in subsection (g)) that is first 
published or exhibited after the date of enact-
ment of the Twenty-first Century Communica-
tions and Video Accessibility Act of 2009. 
‘‘(2) CONTINUING AUTHORITY OF THE COMMIS-
SION.—The Commission shall— 
‘‘(A) within 45 days after the date of en-
actment of the Twenty-first Century Commu-
nications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009— 
‘‘(i) publish and refresh its video de-
scription regulations contained in the re-
port and order identified as Implementa-
tion of Video Description of Video Pro-
gramming, Report and Order (15 F.C.C.R. 
15,230 (2000)) in a manner that provides 
the same or an improved level of video de-
scription service; and 
‘‘(ii) apply the requirements of such 
report and order to owners of and pro-
viders of video programming (as such term 
is defined in subsection (g)); 
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‘‘(B) initiate a proceeding, to be completed 
within 12 months after the submission of the 
report to Congress required by section 201(b) 
of the Twenty-first Century Communications 
and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 to— 
‘‘(i) identify methods to convey emer-
gency information (as that term is defined 
in section 79.2 of the Commission’s regula-
tions (47 C.F.R. 79.2)) in a manner acces-
sible to individuals who are blind or vis-
ually impaired; and 
‘‘(ii) promulgate regulations that re-
quire video programming providers and 
video programming distributors (as those 
terms are defined in section 79.1 of the 
Commission’s 
regulations 
(47 
C.F.R. 
79.1)) and owners of video programming 
to convey such emergency information in a 
manner accessible to individuals who are 
blind or visually impaired, consistent with 
the requirements of such section of such 
regulations; and 
‘‘(C) promulgate any other regulation that 
the Commission may find necessary to imple-
ment, enforce, or otherwise carry out the provi-
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sions of this section, including regulations to in-
crease the amount of video description required 
to achieve full access to video programming for 
individuals who are blind or visually impaired. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR RULES.— 
‘‘(A) The regulations described in para-
graph (1) and republished and refreshed, or 
otherwise increased or enhanced, pursuant to 
subparagraphs (A) or (C) of paragraph (2) 
shall include an appropriate schedule of dead-
lines for the provision of video description of 
video programming. 
‘‘(B) Such regulations may permit a pro-
vider of video programming or program owner 
to petition the Commission for an exemption 
from the requirements of this section upon a 
showing that the requirements contained in this 
section would result in an undue burden (as de-
fined in subsection (e)). A provider shall be ex-
empt from such requirements only after the 
Commission decides to grant any such petition. 
‘‘(C) The Commission may exempt from 
the regulations established pursuant to para-
graph (2)(C) services, classes of services, pro-
grams, classes of programs, equipment, or 
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classes of equipment for which the Commission 
has determined that the application of such reg-
ulations would be economically burdensome to 
the providers of such services. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) VIDEO DESCRIPTION.—The term ‘video de-
scription’ means the insertion of audio narrated de-
scriptions of the video programming’s key visual ele-
ments into natural pauses between the program’s 
dialogue. 
‘‘(2) VIDEO PROGRAMMING.—The term ‘video 
programming’ means programming provided by, or 
generally considered comparable to programming 
provided by, a television broadcast station, even if 
such programming is distributed over the Internet or 
by some other means.’’. 
(b) CLOSED CAPTIONING ON VIDEO PROGRAMMING 
DISTRIBUTED OVER
THE INTERNET.—Section 713 of 
such Act is further amended by striking subsection (c) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(c) DEADLINES FOR CAPTIONING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The regulations prescribed 
pursuant to subsection (b) shall include an appro-
priate schedule of deadlines for the provision of 
closed captioning of video programming. 
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‘‘(2) DEADLINES FOR INTERNET-DISTRIBUTED 
PROGRAMMING.— 
‘‘(A) Within 12 months after the submis-
sion of the report to Congress required by sec-
tion 201(b) of the Twenty-first Century Com-
munications and Video Accessibility Act of 
2009, the Commission shall prescribe regula-
tions that include an appropriate schedule of 
deadlines for the provision of closed captioning 
of video programming distributed to the public 
over the Internet. 
‘‘(B) Consistent with the regulations pro-
mulgated under subsection (b), the regulations 
prescribed under this paragraph shall ensure 
the accessibility of video programming, except 
for consumer generated media, through the pro-
vision of captions on— 
‘‘(i) preproduced video programming 
that was previously captioned for television 
viewing; 
‘‘(ii) live video programming; and 
‘‘(iii) video programming first pub-
lished or exhibited after the effective date 
of such regulations provided by or gen-
erally considered to be comparable to pro-
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gramming provided by multichannel pro-
gramming distributors.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 713(d) of 
such Act is amended by striking paragraph (3) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(3) a provider of video programming or pro-
gram owner may petition the Commission for an ex-
emption from the requirements of this section, 
and— 
‘‘(A) the Commission may grant such peti-
tion upon a showing that the requirements con-
tained in this section would result in an undue 
burden; and 
‘‘(B) such exemption shall be effective only 
after the Commission grants such petition.’’. 
SEC. 204. USER INTERFACES REGULATIONS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 303 of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303) is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(cc)(1) Require, after inquiry— 
‘‘(A) that apparatus designed to re-
ceive or play back video programming 
transmitted simultaneously with sound, in-
cluding apparatus designed to receive or 
display video programming transmitted by 
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means of services using the Internet pro-
tocol (or successor protocol), be designed, 
developed, and fabricated so that control of 
all apparatus functions enabling the re-
ceipt, display, navigation, or selection of 
video programming (and any other func-
tions shared by, related to, or necessary to 
access such apparatus functions), are ac-
cessible to and usable by individuals with 
disabilities; 
‘‘(B) that where on-screen text menus 
or other visual indicators are used to ac-
cess the functions described in subpara-
graph (A), such functions be accompanied 
by audio output that is either integrated or 
peripheral to the apparatus, so that such 
menus or indicators are accessible to and 
usable by individuals who are blind or vis-
ually impaired in real-time; and 
‘‘(C) that user controls need to access 
closed captioning and video description, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) a button, key, or icon on the 
remote control of such apparatus 
(where a remote control is provided 
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with the apparatus) designated for ac-
tivating the closed caption function; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the inclusion of ‘closed cap-
tions’ and ‘video description’ on the 
first menu that appears when on- 
screen menus are displayed on such 
apparatus. 
‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, the 
terms ‘video description’ and ‘video program-
ming’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 713(g).’’. 
(b) 
IMPLEMENTING
REGULATIONS.—Within 
months after the submission of the report to Congress re-
quired by section 201(b) of this Act, the Federal Commu-
nications Commission shall prescribe such regulations as 
are necessary to implement the amendments made by sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 205. ACCESS TO VIDEO PROGRAMMING GUIDES AND 
MENUS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 303 of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 303) is further amended by 
adding after subsection (cc), as added by section 204 of 
this Act, the following new subsection: 
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‘‘(dd) Require each provider or owner of video 
programming (as such term is defined in section 
713(g)), with the exception of consumer generated 
media, and each multichannel programming dis-
tributor to ensure that video programming informa-
tion and selection provided by means of a naviga-
tional device, guide, or menu is accessible in real- 
time by individuals with disabilities who are unable 
to read the visual display.’’. 
(b) 
IMPLEMENTING
REGULATIONS.—Within 
months after the submission of the report to Congress re-
quired by section 201(b) of this Act, the Federal Commu-
nications Commission shall prescribe such regulations as 
are necessary to implement the amendments made by sub-
section (a). 
Æ 
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