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Frequently Asked Questions About the Minnesota Legislature

Are there services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing?

Yes. The Request Capitol Access page provides information 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 CART or 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 interpreting services, call 651-454-7275 (voice) through their website's Request an Interpreter page or request by email.

Please make your request a minimum of 36 hours before the service is needed. You may also request legislative interpreting services from the committee administrator or committee legislative assistant that is planning the committee meeting you want to attend.

You may also request legislative interpreting services by contacting the Legislative Coordinating Commission at accessibility.coordinator@lcc.mn.gov,  or call , 651-296-6036.

If you are interested in touring the Capitol building, ASL interpreters available upon request for guided tours. Interpreter reservation must be made 14 days in advance. Call 651-259-3003.

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)

Those who are interested in requesting CART or ASL can use the Legislature's combined meeting calendar to find upcoming meetings.

For 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 36 hours before the service is 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 Minnesota House has sound reinforcement systems in the 10 hearing rooms in the State Office 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. House receivers for State Office Building hearing rooms may be signed out during normal business hours from the House Sergeants' Office, Room G-85, State Office Building. For meetings lasting beyond normal business hours, receivers are to be returned to the committee staff. Call the House Sergeant's Office at 651-296-4860 for further information.

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.