SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3237

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 23, 2026

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3237.

The purpose of this bill is to enable persons to more easily understand television programs in State buildings.  The bill provides that every television that is located in any portion of a building owned or leased by the State that is available for viewing by members of the public or public employees shall display closed captioning for all programming for which closed captioning is available.  Under the bill, “closed captioning” is the visual display of written words on a television screen of the audio portion of video programming.

     The bill will not apply to any television manufactured before the bill’s effective date that cannot accommodate closed captioning.