FINAL BILL REPORT

2SHB 221

                                  C 304 L 87

BYHouse Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Lux, Barnes, Belcher, Unsoeld, Nealey, Jacobsen, Day, B. Williams, May, Schoon, Pruitt, Ferguson, Fuhrman, Doty, Madsen, Betrozoff, Dellwo, Amondson, Moyer, Miller, Chandler, Brough, Todd and Silver)

Providing access for hearing impaired to telecommunications devices.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Senate Committee on Energy & Utilities

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

There are approximately 7,000 deaf people in the state of Washington, and several hundred thousand who can be classified as hearing impaired.  The legislature has generally mandated that there be access to all public facilities for those who are handicapped or hearing impaired.  Deaf, hearing impaired and deaf-blind individuals do not now have equal access to state services. Telephone access for the deaf and deaf-blind community can be provided through equipment known as telecommunications devices for the deaf.  This equipment is more costly than the normal telephone, but makes it possible for a deaf person to communicate with the outside world.  Fourteen states have already enacted programs that provide for the distribution of telecommunications devices for the deaf.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Social and Health Services, Office of Deaf Services, will provide telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) to citizens who are certified as hearing impaired.

The office will appoint the TDD Advisory Committee.  The committee will determine the feasibility of implementing a statewide relay system.  A statewide relay system enables a hearing person to call a nonhearing person, and vice versa, via a third party operator who translates the message.  In addition, the TDD Advisory Committee will determine the number of hearing impaired people who have party lines and the cost of converting to single lines.  The findings will be reported to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC).  The TDD Advisory Committee will establish criteria for distribution of TDDs to statewide organizations representing the deaf.  The committee will also monitor the activities of the program, and establish policies and procedures regarding responsibility for and portability of TDDs.

The Office of Deaf Services in conjunction with the UTC will establish a TDD excise tax not to exceed 10 cents per month per subscriber access line to fund the program.  The expected cost is approximately 7 cents per subscriber line.  The act expires June 30, 1990.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 98   0

      Senate    47     1(Senate amended)

      House 96   0(House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987