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S.B. 209

This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 4:19 PM by rday. --> This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 5:20 PM by jeyring. -->             


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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-28-2011 rd/pla
1
    
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AMENDMENTS

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             5     
House Sponsor: Jennifer M. Seelig

             6     

             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill provides that the existing surcharge on residential and business lines, for the
             10      provision of telecommunications devices to hearing and speech impaired persons, shall
             11      apply to S. [ residential, business, and mobile telephone numbers ] each access line for residential
             11a      and business telephone service and each telephone number for mobile telephone service .S .
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides that the existing surcharge on residential and business lines, for the
             15      provision of telecommunications devices to hearing and speech impaired persons,
             16      shall apply to S. [ residential, business, and mobile telephone numbers ] each access line for
             16a      residential and business telephone service and each telephone number for mobile telephone
             16b      service .S ;
             17          .    reduces the maximum surcharge from 25 cents to 20 cents; and
             18          .    makes technical changes.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          54-8b-10, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
             26          63J-1-602.3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 265
             27     



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             28
     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             29          Section 1. Section 54-8b-10 is amended to read:
             30           54-8b-10. Imposing a surcharge to provide hearing and speech impaired persons
             31      with telecommunication devices -- Definitions -- Procedures for establishing program --
             32      Surcharge -- Administration and disposition of surcharge money.
             33          (1) As used in this section:
             34          (a) "Certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired person" means any state
             35      resident who:
             36          (i) is so certified by:
             37          (A) a licensed physician;
             38          (B) an otolaryngologist;
             39          (C) a speech language pathologist;
             40          (D) an audiologist; or
             41          (E) a qualified state agency; and
             42          (ii) qualifies for assistance under any low income public assistance program
             43      administered by a state agency.
             44          (b) "Certified interpreter" means a person who is a certified interpreter under Title
             45      53A, Chapter 26a, Interpreter Services for the Hearing Impaired Act.
             46          (c) (i) "Telecommunication device" means any mechanical adaptation device that
             47      enables a deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired person to use the telephone.
             48          (ii) "Telecommunication device" includes:
             49          (A) telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD);
             50          (B) telephone amplifiers;
             51          (C) telephone signal devices;
             52          (D) artificial larynxes; and
             53          (E) adaptive equipment for TDD keyboard access.
             54          (2) The commission shall hold hearings to establish a program whereby [any] a
             55      certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired customer of a [telephone corporation]
             56      telecommunications corporation that provides service through a local exchange or of a wireless
             57      telecommunications provider may obtain a telecommunication device capable of serving the
             58      customer at no charge to the customer beyond the rate for basic service.



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House Floor Amendments 3-9-2011 je/pla

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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-28-2011 rd/pla
             59
         (3) (a) The program described in Subsection (2) shall provide a dual party relay system
             60      using third party intervention to connect a certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired
             61      person with a normal hearing person by way of telecommunication devices designed for that
             62      purpose.
             63          (b) The commission may, by rule, establish the type of telecommunications device to
             64      be provided to ensure functional equivalence.
             65          (4) (a) The commission shall impose a surcharge on each [residence and business
             66      access line of each customer to the local exchange of any telephone corporation providing such
             67      lines in this state] S. [ telephone number of each residential and business customer in this state ]
             67a      residential and business access line of each customer of local-exchange telephone service in this
             67b      state, and each residential and business telephone number of each customer of mobile
             67c      telephone service in this state .S , H. not including a telephone number used exclusively
             67d      to transfer data to and from a mobile device, .H
             68      which shall be collected by the telecommunications corporation providing public
             69      telecommunications service to the customer, to cover the costs of:
             70          (i) the program described in Subsection (2); and
             71          (ii) payments made under Subsection (5).
             72          (b) The commission shall establish by rule the amount to be charged under this section,
             73      [which may] provided that:
             74          (i) the surcharge does not exceed [25] 20 cents per [residence] month for each
             75      residential and business [access line.] S. [ telephone number ] access line for local-exchange
             75a      telephone service, and for each residential and business telephone number for mobile
             75b      telephone service H. , not including a telephone number used exclusively to transfer data to
             75c      and from a mobile device .H .S ; and
             76          (ii) if the surcharge is related to a mobile telecommunications service, the surcharge
             77      may be imposed, billed, and collected only to the extent permitted by the Mobile
             78      Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 U.S.C. Sec. 116 et seq.
             79          (c) The [telephone] telecommunications corporation shall collect the surcharge from its
             80      customers and transfer the money collected to the commission under rules adopted by the
             81      commission.
             82          (d) The surcharge shall be separately identified on [customer bills] each bill to a
             83      customer.
             84          (5) (a) [Any money] Money collected from the surcharge imposed under Subsection (4)
             85      shall be deposited in the state treasury as dedicated credits to be administered as determined by
             86      the [Public Service Commission] commission.
             87          (b) These dedicated credits may be used only:
             88          (i) for the purchase, maintenance, repair, and distribution of telecommunication
             89      devices;



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             90
         (ii) for the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and repair of a dual party relay system;
             91          (iii) to reimburse telephone corporations for the expenses incurred in collecting and
             92      transferring to the commission the surcharge imposed by the commission;
             93          (iv) for the general administration of the program;
             94          (v) to train persons in the use of telecommunications devices; and
             95          (vi) by the commission to contract, in compliance with Title 63G, Chapter 6, Utah
             96      Procurement Code, with:
             97          (A) an institution within the state system of higher education listed in Section
             98      53B-1-102 for a program approved by the Board of Regents that trains persons to qualify as
             99      certified interpreters; or
             100          (B) the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for a program that trains
             101      persons to qualify as certified interpreters.
             102          (c) (i) The commission shall make rules under Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             103      Administrative Rulemaking Act, for the administration of [monies] money under Subsection
             104      (5)(b)(vi).
             105          (ii) In the initial rulemaking to determine the administration of [monies] money under
             106      Subsection (5)(b)(vi), the commission shall give notice and hold a public hearing.
             107          (d) [Monies] Money received by the commission under Subsection (4) [are] is
             108      nonlapsing.
             109          (6) (a) The telephone surcharge need not be collected by a [local exchange company]
             110      telecommunications corporation if the amount collected would be less than the actual
             111      administrative costs of the collection.
             112          (b) If Subsection (6)(a) applies, the [local exchange company] telecommunications
             113      corporation shall submit to the commission, in lieu of the revenue from the surcharge
             114      collection, a breakdown of the anticipated costs and the expected revenue from the collection,
             115      showing that the costs exceed the revenue.
             116          (7) The commission shall solicit the advice, counsel, and physical assistance of
             117      severely hearing or speech impaired persons and the organizations serving them in the design
             118      and implementation of the program.
             119          Section 2. Section 63J-1-602.3 is amended to read:
             120           63J-1-602.3. List of nonlapsing funds and accounts -- Title 46 through Title 60.



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             121
         (1) Certain funds associated with the Law Enforcement Operations Account, as
             122      provided in Section 51-9-411 .
             123          (2) The Public Safety Honoring Heroes Restricted Account created in Section
             124      53-1-118 .
             125          (3) Funding for the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program, as provided in
             126      Section 53-2-107 .
             127          (4) Appropriations made to the Department of Public Safety from the Department of
             128      Public Safety Restricted Account, as provided in Section 53-3-106 .
             129          (5) Appropriations to the Motorcycle Rider Education Program, as provided in Section
             130      53-3-905 .
             131          (6) The DNA Specimen Restricted Account created in Section 53-10-407 .
             132          (7) Appropriations to the State Board of Education, as provided in Section
             133      53A-17a-105 .
             134          (8) Certain funds appropriated from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of
             135      Education for new teacher bonus and performance-based compensation plans, as provided in
             136      Section 53A-17a-148 .
             137          (9) Certain funds appropriated from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of
             138      Education for implementation of proposals to improve mathematics achievement test scores, as
             139      provided in Section 53A-17a-152 .
             140          (10) The School Building Revolving Account created in Section 53A-21-401 .
             141          (11) Money received by the State Office of Rehabilitation for the sale of certain
             142      products or services, as provided in Section 53A-24-105 .
             143          (12) The State Board of Regents, as provided in Section 53B-6-104 .
             144          (13) Certain funds appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Regents
             145      for teacher preparation programs, as provided in Section 53B-6-104 .
             146          (14) A certain portion of money collected for administrative costs under the School
             147      Institutional Trust Lands Management Act, as provided under Section 53C-3-202 .
             148          (15) Certain surcharges on [residence] residential and business [telecommunications
             149      access lines] telephone numbers imposed by the Public Service Commission, as provided in
             150      Section 54-8b-10 .
             151          (16) Certain fines collected by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing



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             152
     for violation of unlawful or unprofessional conduct that are used for education and enforcement
             153      purposes, as provided in Section 58-17b-505 .
             154          (17) The Nurse Education and Enforcement Account created in Section 58-31b-103 .
             155          (18) The Certified Nurse Midwife Education and Enforcement Account created in
             156      Section 58-44a-103 .
             157          (19) Certain fines collected by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
             158      for use in education and enforcement of the Security Personnel Licensing Act, as provided in
             159      Section 58-63-103 .
             160          (20) The Professional Geologist Education and Enforcement Account created in
             161      Section 58-76-103 .
             162          (21) Certain money in the Water Resources Conservation and Development Fund, as
             163      provided in Section 59-12-103 .





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-18-11 12:54 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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