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Assistive Listening Devices
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available to check out just before a meeting and must be returned immediately afterward.
- Senate: The Sergeant-at-Arms is located in room G-430 in the Minnesota Senate Building. You do not need to call ahead but you can call the Sergeant-at-Arms at 651-296-1119 if you have questions before you arrive at the capitol area.
- House: The House Sergeants' Office is located on the third floor of the Centennial Office Building. You do not need to call ahead but if you have questions before arriving at the capitol area, you may call 651-296-4860
- Capitol: Please contact the Minnesota Historical Society front desk (room 126) during normal business hours about borrowing a standard headphone and t-loop. If you have any questions before arriving at the Capitol, you may call the Minnesota Historical Society at 651-259-3292.
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CART (Communications Access Real-time Translation)
Meetings with a legislator
Please contact the legislator's office at least 36 hours before you want to meet with the legislator. Tell the Legislative Assistant that you want to schedule a meeting with the legislator and that you need CART for the meeting.
House or Senate floor sessions, committee meetings
All live and archived (online) House and Senate television programming is closed captioned. During the legislative session, broadcasting is available on weekdays from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Broadcasting hours may be extended for high profile issues.
Contact the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov or call (651) 296-6035 or (651) 296-6036. Please contact the LCC at least 36 hours before you plan to go to the floor session or committee meeting.
Give the LCC:
- Your name
- Your phone/videophone/TTY number (contact info)
- Date of the committee meeting/floor session
- Time of the committee meeting/floor session
- Length of the committee meeting/floor session
- Location of the committee meeting/floor session
- Name of the committee meeting or floor session (House or Senate)
- Your preferences for interpreting (ASL, Signed English, tactile, etc.)
- Whether you are watching or testifying
CART requests outside of the Twin Cities: Because CART can be done remotely, CART can be requested if you are unable to travel to the Capitol to meet with legislators or attend hearings, and also if you want to meet with legislators or attend hearings outside the Twin Cities. Contact the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov or call (651) 296-6035 or (651) 296-6036.
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Getting to the Capitol
There are 4 accessible building entrances. They are:
- South via main entrance via ground level (doors facing the Capitol lawn, connected to Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd & Cedar St.).
- North via Tunnel access from the Minnesota Senate Building (MSB) (underneath University Ave).
- West via ground level (by Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd). It is accessible to those with card-reader access.
- East via ground level (by Cedar St.). It is accessible to those with card-reader access.
Underground access
There is tunnel access to the Capitol via the State Office Building (SOB) and the Minnesota Senate Building (MSB). The SOB tunnel is very steep while the MSB tunnel is friendlier to those with balance and mobility disabilities.
Metro Mobility
The closest Metro Mobility drop off site is on Cedar Street, East of the Capitol, near the entrance.
Disability parking
- Minnesota Senate Building (corner of University Ave. & Capitol Blvd.)
- Judicial Center (between Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. & Cedar St.)
- Centennial Parking Ramp (on Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.)
- W. Central Park Pl. (Next to Centennial on Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.)
- Ramp F (corner of Fuller Ave. & Rice St.)
- Lot C (corner of University Ave. & Rice St.)
- Lot Q (corner of Cedar St. & Sherburne Ave.)
Public parking
- Lot C (corner of University Ave. & Rice St.)
- Lot Q (corner of Cedar St. & Sherburne Ave.)
- Judicial Center (between Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. & Cedar St.)
- Centennial Parking ramp (on Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd.)
- Ramp F (corner of Fuller Ave. & Rice St.)
Metered street parking
- Sherburne Ave.
- John Ireland Blvd.
- Cedar St.
Light Rail
Visitors might want to use the Light Rail. The closest stop is the Capitol/Rice St. Station via the Green Line - Minneapolis - St. Paul.
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Sign Language Interpreters
Meetings with a legislator
Please contact the legislator's office at least 36 hours before you want to meet with the legislator. Tell the Legislative Assistant that you want to schedule a meeting with the legislator and that you need a sign language interpreter for the meeting. Include specific information about your interpreting preferences: ASL, Signed English, tactile, etc.
House or Senate floor sessions, committee meetings
Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) is the contracted vendor for the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC), who is responsible for covering the cost of interpreting services utilized by members to attend the aforementioned events. Those who are requesting ASL interpreting services will need to contact the LCC to submit your request. You can reach the LCC at:
To increase the chance that the LCC will be able to find an interpreter, please contact the LCC at least 36 hours before you plan to go to the floor session or committee meeting.
Give the LCC:
- Your name
- Your phone/videophone/TTY number (contact info)
- Date of the committee meeting/floor session
- Time of the committee meeting/floor session
- Length of the committee meeting/floor session
- Location of the committee meeting/floor session
- Name of the committee meeting or floor session (House or Senate)
- Your preferences for interpreting (ASL, Signed English, tactile, etc.)
- Whether you are watching or testifying
Sign language interpreter requests outside of the Twin Cities: For meetings with legislators or for hearings outside the Twin Cities, contact the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov or (651) 296-6035 or (651) 296-6036. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) may be available for outstate requests.
