Bill HF3328, SF1703

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.

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.