Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H196 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 587 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 196
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to public accommodations for individuals with verbal communication
13	13	impairments.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester1/13/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex1/31/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/16/2023 1 of 2
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 587 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 196
19	19	By Representative LeBoeuf of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 196) of
20	20	David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf, Vanna Howard and Colleen M. Garry relative to public
21	21	accommodations for individuals with verbal communication impairments. Children, Families
22	22	and Persons with Disabilities.
23	23	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
24	24	SEE HOUSE, NO. 4027 OF 2021-2022.]
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
28	28	(2023-2024)
29	29	_______________
30	30	An Act relative to public accommodations for individuals with verbal communication
31	31	impairments.
32	32	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
33	33	of the same, as follows:
34	34	1 Chapter 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 6B the
35	35	2following section:-
36	36	3 Section 6C. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
37	37	4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
38	38	5 “Department”, the department of public health.
39	39	6 “Photographic or visual menu”, a menu that contains a written description accompanied
40	40	7by a photograph each food and drink item to assist individuals with communication impairments
41	41	8with ordering food and drink. 2 of 2
42	42	9 (b) A person licensed as an innholder or common victualler, when serving food, shall: (i)
43	43	10maintain on the premises for availability upon customer request a set of photographic or visual
44	44	11menus and (ii) include on all menus a notice to customers informing them of the availability of a
45	45	12photographic or visual menu for customers with communication impairments, the language of
46	46	13the notice shall be developed by the department in consultation with the department of
47	47	14developmental services, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Arc Massachusetts, Inc..
48	48	15 (c) The department shall develop a program for restaurants to be designated as
49	49	16“Communication Impairment Friendly” and shall maintain a listing of restaurants receiving that
50	50	17designation on its website. Participation in the program shall be voluntary and the department, in
51	51	18consultation with the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, shall issue guidelines and
52	52	19requirements for restaurants to receive the designation; provided that the requirements shall
53	53	20include, but not be limited to, maintaining on the premises and making available to the public, a
54	54	21set of photographic or visual menus.
55	55	22 (d) The department may adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.