Text: SF02071 Text: SF02073 Text: SF02000 - SF02099 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 477C.1, Code 2003, is amended by 1 2 striking the section and inserting in lieu thereof the 1 3 following: 1 4 477C.1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT 1 5 DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM – PURPOSE. 1 6 The general assembly finds that the provision of a 1 7 statewide telecommunications relay service and equipment 1 8 distribution program will further the public interest and 1 9 protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Iowa 1 10 through an increase in the availability of the telephone 1 11 system and specialized telecommunications devices. Many 1 12 persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, speech-impaired, or 1 13 have other physical, sensory, mobility, and cognitive 1 14 impairments are not able to utilize the telephone system or 1 15 telephone equipment without this type of service or such 1 16 devices. Therefore, it is the purpose of this chapter to 1 17 facilitate the development, operation, promotion, and funding 1 18 of a statewide telecommunications relay service, and the 1 19 planning, establishment, administration, and promotion of an 1 20 equipment distribution program designed to serve the needs of 1 21 persons with communication impairments. 1 22 Sec. 2. Section 477C.2, Code 2003, is amended by striking 1 23 the section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 1 24 477C.2 DEFINITIONS. 1 25 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 1 26 requires: 1 27 1. "Board" means the utilities board within the department 1 28 of commerce created in section 474.1. 1 29 2. "Council" means the telecommunications relay council 1 30 established in section 477C.5. 1 31 3. "Person with a communication impairment" means an 1 32 individual who has been certified by an appropriate 1 33 professional to be deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have a speech, 1 34 mobility, cognitive, or other sensory or physical impairment 1 35 that limits the individual's ability to use or access a 2 1 standard telephone for communication. 2 2 4. "Specialized telecommunications device" means any 2 3 assistive, supplemental, or adapted equipment used by a person 2 4 with a communication impairment to use or access the telephone 2 5 system. 2 6 5. "Telecommunications relay service" or "relay service" 2 7 means a communication service which provides a person with a 2 8 communication impairment access to the telephone system 2 9 functionally equivalent to the access available to persons who 2 10 do not have such impairments. 2 11 Sec. 3. Section 477C.3, Code 2003, is amended to read as 2 12 follows: 2 13 477C.3DUAL PARTYTELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE. 2 14 With the advice of the council, the board shall plan, 2 15 establish, administer, and promote a statewide program to 2 16 providedual partytelecommunications relay service as 2 17 follows: 2 18 1. The board may enter into the necessary contracts and 2 19 arrangements with private entities to provide for the delivery 2 20 of relay service. 2 21 2. The relay service, to the extent reasonably possible, 2 22 shall allow persons with communication impairments to use the 2 23 telephone system in a manner and at a rate equivalent to 2 24 personswithout communicationwho do not have such 2 25 impairments. 2 26 3. The relay service may be provided on a stand-alone 2 27 basis within the state, with other states, or with telephone 2 28 utilities providing relay service in other states. 2 29 4. The board may employ additional personnel, pursuant to 2 30 section 476.10, to plan, establish, administer, and promote 2 31 the relay service. 2 32 Sec. 4. Section 477C.4, Code 2003, is amended to read as 2 33 follows: 2 34 477C.4TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES FOR THE DEAFEQUIPMENT 2 35 DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM. 3 1 With the advice of the council, the board may plan, 3 2 establish, administer, and promote a program to secure, 3 3 finance, and distribute specialized telecommunications devices 3 4for the deaf. The boardmayshall establish eligibility 3 5 criteria for persons with a communication impairment to 3 6 receive specialized telecommunications devicesfor the deaf, 3 7 including, but not limited to, requiring certification that 3 8 the recipient cannot use the telephone for communication 3 9 without a specialized telecommunications devicefor the deaf. 3 10 Sec. 5. Section 477C.5, Code 2003, is amended to read as 3 11 follows: 3 12 477C.5DUAL PARTYTELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY COUNCIL. 3 13 1. Adual partytelecommunications relay council is 3 14 established, consisting of eleven members appointed by the 3 15 board. The council shall advise the board on all matters 3 16 concerning relay service and equipment distribution programs. 3 17 2. The council shall consist of: 3 18 a. Six consumers whohaveare persons with a communication 3 19impairmentsimpairment. 3 20 b. Two representatives from telephone companies. 3 21 c. One representative from the division of deaf services 3 22 of the department of human rights. 3 23 d. One representative from the office of the consumer 3 24 advocate of the department of justice. 3 25 e. One member of the board or a designee of the board. 3 26 3. Council members who are not state or local government 3 27 officers or employees shall be reimbursed for their necessary 3 28 and actual expenses incurred in performance of their duties 3 29 and shall receive a per diem of fifty dollars when the council 3 30 is meeting, payable from moneys available to the board 3 31 pursuant to section 477C.7. 3 32 EXPLANATION 3 33 This bill provides for the establishment of a 3 34 telecommunications relay service and equipment distribution 3 35 program. The bill involves terminology changes and an 4 1 expanded scope from the dual party relay provisions currently 4 2 contained within Code chapter 477C. 4 3 The bill provides a statement of purpose section setting 4 4 forth the rationale for the program. The bill provides that a 4 5 statewide telecommunications relay service and equipment 4 6 distribution program will further the public interest and 4 7 protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Iowa 4 8 through an increase in the availability of the telephone 4 9 system and specialized telecommunications devices. The bill 4 10 provides that many persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, 4 11 speech-impaired, or otherwise impaired are not able to utilize 4 12 the telephone system or telephone equipment without such a 4 13 service or such devices, and that accordingly, the purpose of 4 14 the chapter is to facilitate the development, operation, 4 15 promotion, and funding of a statewide telecommunications relay 4 16 service, and the planning, establishment, administration, and 4 17 promotion of an equipment distribution program designed to 4 18 serve the needs of persons with communication impairments. 4 19 The bill provides that references to "dual party" relay 4 20 service shall be changed to "telecommunications" relay 4 21 service, and changes the definition of "communication 4 22 impairment" to a "person with a communication impairment". 4 23 The bill provides that a person with a communication 4 24 impairment means an individual who has been certified by an 4 25 appropriate professional to be deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have 4 26 a speech, mobility, cognitive, or other sensory or physical 4 27 impairment that limits the individual's ability to use or 4 28 access a standard telephone for communication. The bill 4 29 provides that a "telecommunications relay service" or "relay 4 30 service" means a communication service which provides a person 4 31 with a communication impairment access to the telephone system 4 32 functionally equivalent to the access available to persons who 4 33 do not have such impairments, and that a "specialized 4 34 telecommunications device" means any assistive, supplemental, 4 35 or adapted equipment used by a person with a communication 5 1 impairment to use or access the telephone system. The bill 5 2 provides for changes in several sections of Code chapter 477C 5 3 consistent with these revised definitions. 5 4 The bill additionally provides that, in regard to the 5 5 equipment distribution program, the board shall establish 5 6 eligibility criteria for persons to receive specialized 5 7 telecommunications devices. Currently, Code section 477C.4 5 8 provides that the board "may" establish such criteria. The 5 9 bill also provides, in regard to the telecommunications relay 5 10 council, that the six consumer members shall be persons with a 5 11 communication impairment. Currently, the requirement is 5 12 phrased "impairments". 5 13 LSB 5731XS 80 5 14 rn/pj/5
Text: SF02071 Text: SF02073 Text: SF02000 - SF02099 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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