Minnesota SF 1703: Department of Education bringing awareness of library services for blind and print disabled persons requirement provision

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to education; requiring the Department of Education to bring awareness​
1.3 of library services for blind and print disabled persons; amending Minnesota​
1.4 Statutes 2024, section 134.31, subdivisions 4a, 6.​
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.31, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:​
1.7 Subd. 4a.Services to people with visual and physical disabilities.(a) The Minnesota​
1.8 Department of Education shall provide specialized services to people with visual and physical​
1.9 disabilities through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library under a cooperative​
1.10 plan with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of​
1.11 Congress.​
1.12 (b) The Department of Education is responsible for bringing awareness of services for​
1.13 blind and print disabled persons and is encouraged to develop an online, fully accessible​
1.14 website for statewide resources, services, and information available to blind and print​
1.15 disabled persons, and assurances to maintain updated documents and publications. The​
1.16 Department of Education must consult with the Department of Employment and Economic​
1.17 Development regarding vocational rehabilitation services and state services for the blind,​
1.18 visually impaired, and deafblind to facilitate the achievement of vocational and personal​
1.19 independence, including braille, audio, and e-text and large print transcription services. The​
1.20 Department of Education must consult with the Department of Health, the Department of​
1.21 Human Services, and other departments and state agencies to provide additional awareness​
1.22 of resources for blind and print disabled persons.​
1​Section 1.​
25-03655 as introduced​02/11/25 REVISOR CR/EN​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 1703​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: ANDERSON, Kunesh, Coleman, Cwodzinski and Rarick)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​455​02/20/2025​
Referred to Education Policy​
Author added Rarick​675​03/06/2025​

2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.31, subdivision 6, is amended to read:​
2.2 Subd. 6.Advisory committee.(a) The commissioner shall appoint an advisory committee​
2.3 of five members to advise the staff of the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library on​
2.4 long-range plans and library services. Members shall be people who use the library. Section​
2.5 15.059 governs this committee.​
2.6 (b) The advisory committee must consult with the Department of Education on bringing​
2.7 awareness of the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library to blind and print disabled​
2.8 persons.​
2​Sec. 2.​
25-03655 as introduced​02/11/25 REVISOR CR/EN​