The Bill recognizing Spanish Sign language and for which the CESyA was created has been approved (11/10/2007)

The law regulates media support for oral communication to assist people with a hearing impairment and the deaf-blind.

The Labour and Social Affairs Commission of the Senate has approved unanimously the draft bill for which Spanish sign languages are recognized and for which media support for oral communication is regulated for the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people. The same bill stipulates the creation of the Spanish Center for Subtitling and Audiodescription.

The draft bill will be ratified in full session this week with the absence of modifications; concerning the text sent by the Congress, it will be definitely approved and will come into force after its publication on BOE (Official State Bulletin)

The bill recognizes and regulates the Spanish sign language as the language of the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people in Spain who freely choose to use it, without prejudice of recognition of Catalonian sign language inside its linguistic using field.

The new norm, among other obligations, imposes to educational Administrations the arrangement of school centers that provide resources in order to facilitate the learning of sign languages. It also obligates to provide sign language service at ports, airports and bus stations. Also, the public authorities must promote assistance service of interpreters for the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people, whenever they need it, either in public or private environments as hospitals, health centers, sport, cultural and leisure centers, Ministries, etc.

Besides, by this law, the public authorities, political parties and social agents must facilitate institutional information as well as full accessibility to public media broadcasting for disabled people.

Communication media as well as public registered Web sites and portals will have to incorporate sign language into some of their programs.

Another innovation is the creation of the Center for the Linguistic Standardization of Spanish Sign Language, something like a Royal Academy of Sign Language whose purpose is to research, promote, spread and watch over the proper use of this language.

Creation of CESyA

The article 20 of the law stipulates the creation of the Spanish Center for Subtitling and Audiodescription, describes its purpose and the performances that it will develop.

Article 20. Spanish Center for subtitling and audiodescription

The government, having heard the National Board on Disability, will create and regulate inside the Royal Board on Disability a Spanish Center for Subtitling and Audiodescription with the purpose of researching, promoting, encouraging initiatives, coordinating performances and extending subtitling and audiodescription as media support to communication for the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people. This organization will develop its actions receiving enquiries and establishing agreements with entities representing the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people and their families.

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