By Barrientos S.B. No. 1441
76R7248 JJT-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to expanding the specialized telecommunications devices
1-3 assistance program.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 56.151 and 56.152, Utilities Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 56.151. SPECIALIZED TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE
1-8 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The commission and the Texas Commission for
1-9 the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by rule shall establish a program to
1-10 provide financial assistance to [certain] individuals with
1-11 disabilities that impair the individuals' ability to effectively
1-12 access the telephone network [who are deaf or have an impairment of
1-13 hearing or speech] to enable the individuals to purchase
1-14 specialized equipment to provide telephone network access that is
1-15 functionally equivalent to that enjoyed by individuals without
1-16 disabilities [an impairment of hearing or speech].
1-17 Sec. 56.152. ELIGIBILITY. The Texas Commission for the Deaf
1-18 and Hard of Hearing by rule shall prescribe eligibility standards
1-19 for individuals, including deaf individuals and individuals who
1-20 have an impairment of hearing or speech, to receive an assistance
1-21 voucher under the program. To be eligible, an individual must be a
1-22 resident of this state who has access to a telephone line in the
1-23 individual's home or place of business.
1-24 SECTION 2. Section 56.153(a), Utilities Code, is amended to
2-1 read as follows:
2-2 (a) The Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2-3 shall determine a reasonable price for a basic telecommunications
2-4 device for the deaf (TDD or TTY) and distribute to each eligible
2-5 applicant a voucher that guarantees payment of that amount to a
2-6 distributor of new specialized telecommunications devices described
2-7 by Section 56.151.
2-8 SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 56, Utilities Code, is
2-9 amended by adding Section 56.156 to read as follows:
2-10 Sec. 56.156. SPECIALIZED TELECOMMUNICATIONS ISSUES ADVISORY
2-11 COMMITTEE. The commission and the Texas Commission for the Deaf
2-12 and Hard of Hearing shall appoint an advisory committee to advise
2-13 the commission on issues regarding telephone network access for
2-14 individuals with disabilities. The committee must include:
2-15 (1) two individuals representing individuals who are
2-16 deaf;
2-17 (2) two individuals representing individuals who have
2-18 an impairment of hearing or speech;
2-19 (3) an individual with technical knowledge of
2-20 specialized telecommunications devices; and
2-21 (4) four individuals representing individuals with
2-22 disabilities that impair the individuals' ability to effectively
2-23 access the telephone network.
2-24 SECTION 4. (a) In accordance with Subsection (c),
2-25 Section 311.031, Government Code, which gives effect to a
2-26 substantive amendment enacted by the same legislature that
2-27 codifies the amended statute, the text of Sections 56.151, 56.152,
3-1 and 56.153(a), Utilities Code, as set out in Sections 1 and 2 of
3-2 this Act, gives effect to changes made by Chapter 149, Acts of
3-3 the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.
3-4 (b) To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over
3-5 another Act of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
3-6 relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in
3-7 enacted codes.
3-8 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-9 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.