SENATE BILL REPORT

E2SHB 221

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

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 26, 1987

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Williams, Chairman; Owen, Vice Chairman; Cantu, Nelson, Smitherman, Stratton.

Senate Staff:Deborah Senn (786-7450)

                  March 26, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES, MARCH 26, 1987

BACKGROUND:

There are approximately 7,000 deaf people in the state of Washington, and several hundred thousand that can be classified as hearing impaired.  The State Legislature has generally mandated that there be access to all public facilities for those that 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 is imperative in order 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 to be hearing impaired.

The office shall appoint a TDD Advisory Committee.  The TDD Advisory Committee will oversee the establishment of a distribution system for telecommunication devices for the deaf to anyone who qualifies under the provisions of the act (certification as hearing impaired).  The Committee is also directed to recommend a financial means test for program eligibility which the office will implement.  The TDD Advisory Committee will establish criteria for distribution of TDDs to other statewide organizations representing the deaf, monitor the monies and activities for the program, and establish policies and procedures regarding responsibility for and portability of TDDs.  The Committee will also conduct a study to 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 conduct another study to 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 State Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). 

The Office of Deaf Services in conjunction with the UTC shall establish a telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) excise tax not to exceed 10 cents per month per access line of a subscriber to fund the program.  The estimate for the cost of the program is approximately $.07 per subscriber line. The act expires June 30, 1990.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS:

"Hearing impaired" is defined as those persons certified to be deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing and those persons certified as having a hearing disability limiting their access to telecommunications.

The financial means test is deleted as well as all language referencing the means test.

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Leon Curtis, DSHS; Lerry Peterson, President, Washington State Association of the Deaf; Allie Joiner, WSAD; Laurel Poulisse, WSAD; Kathleen Johnston, Self Help Hard of Hearing People; Jack Doyle, WITA