MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2673

the most fundamental things that people do, which is to
communicate.

Deafness tends to be an invisible handicap and its
impact upon the individual is little appreciated or
understood by the public—at-large,

Traditionally, one of the major problems facing deaf
people has been the lack of public understanding which
results in a relative insensitivity to the basic needs
and the special needs of this unique population.

Lack of public awareness and understanding      also

permits subtle, as well as overt discrimination.    This

discrimination affects almost all areas of a        deaf
person's social, economic, and educational life.

One of the basic needs of deaf people is: television
channels, including special programs designed for deaf
audiences and regular programs which could be interpreted
or captioned.

[[Regular news programs on commercial television
should be captioned or interpreted in the Language of
Signs for deaf persons, including the captioning or
interpreting of all emergency bulletins being aired on
television; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
this Body requests Congress and the Federal
Communications Commission to undertake a study to
investigate the feasibility of requiring television
networks to provide either signing or captioning of all
news broadcasts and emergency broadcasts; and be it
further]]

The General Assembly of Maryland is fully cognizant

of the needs of the deaf in this area, and is aware that

the Federal Communications Commission has proposed rules

for TV captioning for those with impaired hearing (F.C.C.

Docket 20693 adopted January 28, 1976); now, therefore,

be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That

this Body requests the Congress to urge the Federal

Communications__Commission to promptly consider the

adoption of rule amendments which would make possible the
implementation of the proposed rules for TV captioning
for those with impaired hearing; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
the Governor, the Honorable Marvin Mandel; the Secretary
of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Neil
Solomon; the State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. James
Sensenbaugh; the Honorable [[Dean Burch]] Richard Wiley,
Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, and

Commissioners Lee, Reid, Hooks, Quello, Washburn, and

Robinson, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington D.C.; Senators J.