HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6290

BYSenate Committee on Energy & Utilities (originally sponsored by Senators Benitz, Stratton, Williams, Nelson, Bluechel, Metcalf and Owen)

Revising provisions for telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired and speech impaired and repealing the expiration date.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Nelson, Chair; H. Myers, Vice Chair; Hankins, Ranking Republican Member; Brooks, Cooper, Jacobsen, May and Miller.

House Staff:Fred Adair (786-7113)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Energy & Utilities.  (25)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Hine, Holland, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Michelle Hauth (786-7384)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 28, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1987 the Legislature created the Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD) program.  That program, housed within the Office of Deaf Services at DSHS, provides TDDs and other devices for telecommunications services to those persons of school age or older who are certified as hearing impaired.  The legislation also created a TDD Advisory Committee that was directed to study the feasibility of implementing a cost-effective statewide relay service that would allow telecommunications between the hearing impaired and hearing persons.  The Office of Deaf Services was directed to implement a statewide relay service pursuant to the Advisory Committee's recommendations.  The relay service began operation in November, 1989.  The program is funded by an excise tax on each local switched access phone line, not to exceed 10 cents per line, as determined by the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC).  Authorization for these programs expires June 30, 1990.

Pending federal legislation would require all states to implement statewide relay service systems that would meet specified minimum requirements.  This legislation may contain a funding provision different from the one established by the Legislature for this state in 1987.

The same equipment that serves hearing impaired persons can also serve speech impaired persons.  Both groups are unable to use ordinary telephones.

SUMMARY:

Persons certified as speech impaired are eligible to receive TDDs and related devices.  The TDD Advisory Committee's size is limited to no more than 13 members, and guidelines are provided for appointments to it.  The department is required to submit an annual budget for operational and capital costs to the UTC no later than March 1 prior to the biennium.  The UTC is to determine the amount of TDD excise tax for each local line and notify local exchange companies no later than May 15 of the amount, which is to be imposed by the local exchange companies as of July 1.  The Office of Deaf Services is to establish and implement a policy for the return and ultimate ownership of TDD and other devices that are no longer being used.

The department is required to submit a biennial report on the operation of the program to the Legislature, with the first one due no later than December 1, 1990.  The report must address revenues and expenditures, major policy on operational issues, and prioritization of services within limited revenues.  The first report will include a study of a number of factors relative to the TDD program.

The UTC and the department are responsible for insuring that the program complies with federal requirements and for informing the Legislature of any state legislation that may be necessary to comply.

The June 30, 1990, expiration date for the program is repealed.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Energy & Utilities)  Senator Max Benitz, prime sponsor; and Michael Izak, Washington State Association of the Deaf.

(Appropriations)  Patty Hughes, Office of Deaf Services within Department of Social and Health Services and Michael Izak, Washington State Association of the Deaf.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Energy & Utilities)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Energy & Utilities)  The TDD program should be continued and language in current law be modified by the bill to facilitate incorporation of any federal programs.  The proposed departmental study should include whether it is preferable to continue to operate the program from within the Department of Social and Health Services or by some other arrangement.

(Appropriations)  The Office of Deaf Services is ready to do the study as directed in this bill.  It supports the legislation.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Energy & Utilities)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.