Yes. Services include Minnesota Relay Service, American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), and Sound Reinforcement Systems.
The Request Capitol Access page provides information about services from The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing.
Minnesota Relay Service
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled may contact the Senate and House via their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service.
Minnesota Relay Service is a free service that uses a specially trained communications assistant (CA) to facilitate the telephone conversations between a person who has a hearing loss or speech disability and the person with whom they wish to speak. All calls are confidential. To make a Minnesota Relay call dial 7-1-1.
Sign Language Interpreters
Those who are interested in requesting ASL can use the Legislature's combined meeting calendar to find upcoming meetings.
In order to provide accessibility for meetings with legislators, legislative committee hearings, and House and Senate floor sessions, the Legislature contracts with Keystone Interpreting Solutions to provide legislative sign language interpreting services. Interpreting services are also available for hearings or meetings with legislators in greater Minnesota.
To request legislative ASL interpreting services, contact the Legislative Coordinating Commission at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov, or call, 651-296-6036. Please make your request a minimum of one week before the services are needed.
If you are interested in touring the Capitol building, ASL interpreters are available upon request for guided tours. Interpreter reservations must be made 14 days in advance. Call 651-259-3003.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)
Those who are interested in requesting CART can use the Legislature's combined meeting calendar to find upcoming meetings.
To request legislative CART services, contact the Legislative Coordinating Commission at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov, or call 651-296-6036. Please make your request a minimum of two weeks before the services are needed.
Sound Reinforcement Systems
The Minnesota Senate has sound reinforcement systems for use in hearings rooms in the Minnesota Senate Building. The systems, for the exclusive use of people who are deaf or hard of hearing, are available for the duration of a particular meeting and must be returned immediately following the meeting. Senate receivers may be signed out during normal business hours from the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, room G-430, Minnesota Senate Building. For meetings lasting beyond normal business hours, receivers are to be returned to the committee staff. Call the Sergeant-at-Arms at 651-296-1119 for further information.
The State Office Building is temporarily closed to the public for construction.
Capitol Hearing Rooms, including the House Hearing Room 120, and the House Gallery have a telecoil loop sound reinforcement system. House receivers for State Capitol hearing rooms may be signed out from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Minnesota Historical Society Information Desk, Room 126, State Capitol Building.