The 2024 Legislative Session opened on Monday, February 12, 2024. Learn more about the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing's legislative agenda,

If you have questions, personal stories, or information related to one of our legislative agenda items, reach out to our Government Relations Director, Alicia Lane, at alicia.lane@state.mn.us.  

Take the Capitol Mall Design Framework Survey

The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB) has a survey to collect feedback and ideas on how the Capitol Mall can be improved to feel more welcoming and inclusive to all residents, workers, surrounding community in the area, and visitors. 

The more feedback they receive, the better. 

Learn more about the Capitol Mall Design Framework project.

Take the survey.

 The last day to participate in the survey is Thursday, February 15, 2024.

Letter about ASL Court Interpreters Strike in both ASL and English

The Minnesota Disability Law Center and ThinkSelf have created a letter for court participants who are deaf. The letter explains your rights to communication access in the courts and how to file a complaint.

It is very important to attend court appointments to avoid any consequences for not showing up, even if court participants are not sure if they will have an interpreter during the court interpreters strike. If a court participant attends a hearing and there is no accommodation provided, they should delay to another day.

 Below is a copy in both American Sign Language (ASL) and English. 

The Court's Duty to Provide Effective Communication During the ASL Court Interpreters' Strike

You have a right to an interpreter for your Court hearings. All court participants have a constitutional right to effective and meaningful communication in court and the right to be heard - in both civil and criminal court. To protect these rights, courts must take steps to ensure that communication with people with disabilities is as effective and meaningful as communication for people without disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), courts must provide aids and services, like qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, to communicate effectively with people who are deaf.

Minnesota Certified ASL Court Interpreters, along with other foreign language Court Interpreters, are now on strike. Therefore, the court may not have an ASL interpreter to communicate effectively with you at court.

Most Minnesota judges are now either continuing the case or using outstate Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) for court participants who are deaf. If your case is “continued”, that means that the judge is only moving your hearing to another date. Make sure you get the new date for your hearing and come to court on the new date set by the judge.

If the court uses VRI, the VRI must have a clear, high-quality video image of the interpreter without freezing, blur or lags, must be large enough to show all of the interpreters’ signing, and provide an audible transmission of voices. The ASL interpreter must also be qualified court interpreter.

If you are not given an interpreter or otherwise denied effective communication in court, we recommend that you file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (DOJ) or the MN Department of Human Rights (MDHR). You may contact the DOJ at [the DOJ website] or (202) 514-3847; 1-855-856-1247 (toll-free) or (202) 514-0716 (TTY). Or you may contact the MDHR at 651-539-1133, MN Relay 711 at 1-800-627-3529 or Toll Free at 800-657-3704 or [the MDHR website]. There are time limits to file complaints under the law, called statutes of limitations. Therefore, if you want to file a complaint, you should do so as soon as possible.

If you make a complaint to the DOJ or MDHR, please also inform ThinkSelf by videophone at 651-829-9089 or email at advocates@thinkself.org.