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S.B. 209 Enrolled

             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 each access line for residential and business telephone service and each
             12      telephone number for mobile telephone service.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    provides that the existing surcharge on residential and business lines, for the
             16      provision of telecommunications devices to hearing and speech impaired persons,
             17      shall apply to each access line for residential and business telephone service and
             18      each telephone number for mobile telephone service;
             19          .    reduces the maximum surcharge from 25 cents to 20 cents; and
             20          .    makes technical changes.
             21      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             22          None
             23      Other Special Clauses:
             24          None
             25      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             26      AMENDS:
             27          54-8b-10, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
             28          63J-1-602.3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 265
             29     

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             30      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             31          Section 1. Section 54-8b-10 is amended to read:
             32           54-8b-10. Imposing a surcharge to provide hearing and speech impaired persons
             33      with telecommunication devices -- Definitions -- Procedures for establishing program --
             34      Surcharge -- Administration and disposition of surcharge money.
             35          (1) As used in this section:
             36          (a) "Certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired person" means any state
             37      resident who:
             38          (i) is so certified by:
             39          (A) a licensed physician;
             40          (B) an otolaryngologist;
             41          (C) a speech language pathologist;
             42          (D) an audiologist; or
             43          (E) a qualified state agency; and
             44          (ii) qualifies for assistance under any low income public assistance program
             45      administered by a state agency.
             46          (b) "Certified interpreter" means a person who is a certified interpreter under Title
             47      53A, Chapter 26a, Interpreter Services for the Hearing Impaired Act.
             48          (c) (i) "Telecommunication device" means any mechanical adaptation device that
             49      enables a deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired person to use the telephone.
             50          (ii) "Telecommunication device" includes:
             51          (A) telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD);
             52          (B) telephone amplifiers;
             53          (C) telephone signal devices;
             54          (D) artificial larynxes; and
             55          (E) adaptive equipment for TDD keyboard access.
             56          (2) The commission shall hold hearings to establish a program whereby [any] a
             57      certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired customer of a [telephone corporation]

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             58      telecommunications corporation that provides service through a local exchange or of a wireless
             59      telecommunications provider may obtain a telecommunication device capable of serving the
             60      customer at no charge to the customer beyond the rate for basic service.
             61          (3) (a) The program described in Subsection (2) shall provide a dual party relay system
             62      using third party intervention to connect a certified deaf or severely hearing or speech impaired
             63      person with a normal hearing person by way of telecommunication devices designed for that
             64      purpose.
             65          (b) The commission may, by rule, establish the type of telecommunications device to
             66      be provided to ensure functional equivalence.
             67          (4) (a) The commission shall impose a surcharge on each [residence and business
             68      access line of each customer to the local exchange of any telephone corporation providing such
             69      lines in this state] residential and business access line of each customer of local-exchange
             70      telephone service in this state, and each residential and business telephone number of each
             71      customer of mobile telephone service in this state, not including a telephone number used
             72      exclusively to transfer data to and from a mobile device, which shall be collected by the
             73      telecommunications corporation providing public telecommunications service to the customer,
             74      to cover the costs of:
             75          (i) the program described in Subsection (2); and
             76          (ii) payments made under Subsection (5).
             77          (b) The commission shall establish by rule the amount to be charged under this section,
             78      [which may] provided that:
             79          (i) the surcharge does not exceed [25] 20 cents per [residence] month for each
             80      residential and business [access line.] access line for local-exchange telephone service, and for
             81      each residential and business telephone number for mobile telephone service, not including a
             82      telephone number used exclusively to transfer data to and from a mobile device; and
             83          (ii) if the surcharge is related to a mobile telecommunications service, the surcharge
             84      may be imposed, billed, and collected only to the extent permitted by the Mobile
             85      Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 U.S.C. Sec. 116 et seq.

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             86          (c) The [telephone] telecommunications corporation shall collect the surcharge from its
             87      customers and transfer the money collected to the commission under rules adopted by the
             88      commission.
             89          (d) The surcharge shall be separately identified on [customer bills] each bill to a
             90      customer.
             91          (5) (a) [Any money] Money collected from the surcharge imposed under Subsection (4)
             92      shall be deposited in the state treasury as dedicated credits to be administered as determined by
             93      the [Public Service Commission] commission.
             94          (b) These dedicated credits may be used only:
             95          (i) for the purchase, maintenance, repair, and distribution of telecommunication
             96      devices;
             97          (ii) for the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and repair of a dual party relay system;
             98          (iii) to reimburse telephone corporations for the expenses incurred in collecting and
             99      transferring to the commission the surcharge imposed by the commission;
             100          (iv) for the general administration of the program;
             101          (v) to train persons in the use of telecommunications devices; and
             102          (vi) by the commission to contract, in compliance with Title 63G, Chapter 6, Utah
             103      Procurement Code, with:
             104          (A) an institution within the state system of higher education listed in Section
             105      53B-1-102 for a program approved by the Board of Regents that trains persons to qualify as
             106      certified interpreters; or
             107          (B) the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for a program that trains
             108      persons to qualify as certified interpreters.
             109          (c) (i) The commission shall make rules under Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             110      Administrative Rulemaking Act, for the administration of [monies] money under Subsection
             111      (5)(b)(vi).
             112          (ii) In the initial rulemaking to determine the administration of [monies] money under
             113      Subsection (5)(b)(vi), the commission shall give notice and hold a public hearing.

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             114          (d) [Monies] Money received by the commission under Subsection (4) [are] is
             115      nonlapsing.
             116          (6) (a) The telephone surcharge need not be collected by a [local exchange company]
             117      telecommunications corporation if the amount collected would be less than the actual
             118      administrative costs of the collection.
             119          (b) If Subsection (6)(a) applies, the [local exchange company] telecommunications
             120      corporation shall submit to the commission, in lieu of the revenue from the surcharge
             121      collection, a breakdown of the anticipated costs and the expected revenue from the collection,
             122      showing that the costs exceed the revenue.
             123          (7) The commission shall solicit the advice, counsel, and physical assistance of
             124      severely hearing or speech impaired persons and the organizations serving them in the design
             125      and implementation of the program.
             126          Section 2. Section 63J-1-602.3 is amended to read:
             127           63J-1-602.3. List of nonlapsing funds and accounts -- Title 46 through Title 60.
             128          (1) Certain funds associated with the Law Enforcement Operations Account, as
             129      provided in Section 51-9-411 .
             130          (2) The Public Safety Honoring Heroes Restricted Account created in Section
             131      53-1-118 .
             132          (3) Funding for the Search and Rescue Financial Assistance Program, as provided in
             133      Section 53-2-107 .
             134          (4) Appropriations made to the Department of Public Safety from the Department of
             135      Public Safety Restricted Account, as provided in Section 53-3-106 .
             136          (5) Appropriations to the Motorcycle Rider Education Program, as provided in Section
             137      53-3-905 .
             138          (6) The DNA Specimen Restricted Account created in Section 53-10-407 .
             139          (7) Appropriations to the State Board of Education, as provided in Section
             140      53A-17a-105 .
             141          (8) Certain funds appropriated from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of

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             142      Education for new teacher bonus and performance-based compensation plans, as provided in
             143      Section 53A-17a-148 .
             144          (9) Certain funds appropriated from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of
             145      Education for implementation of proposals to improve mathematics achievement test scores, as
             146      provided in Section 53A-17a-152 .
             147          (10) The School Building Revolving Account created in Section 53A-21-401 .
             148          (11) Money received by the State Office of Rehabilitation for the sale of certain
             149      products or services, as provided in Section 53A-24-105 .
             150          (12) The State Board of Regents, as provided in Section 53B-6-104 .
             151          (13) Certain funds appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Regents
             152      for teacher preparation programs, as provided in Section 53B-6-104 .
             153          (14) A certain portion of money collected for administrative costs under the School
             154      Institutional Trust Lands Management Act, as provided under Section 53C-3-202 .
             155          (15) Certain surcharges on [residence] residential and business [telecommunications
             156      access lines] telephone numbers imposed by the Public Service Commission, as provided in
             157      Section 54-8b-10 .
             158          (16) Certain fines collected by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
             159      for violation of unlawful or unprofessional conduct that are used for education and enforcement
             160      purposes, as provided in Section 58-17b-505 .
             161          (17) The Nurse Education and Enforcement Account created in Section 58-31b-103 .
             162          (18) The Certified Nurse Midwife Education and Enforcement Account created in
             163      Section 58-44a-103 .
             164          (19) Certain fines collected by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
             165      for use in education and enforcement of the Security Personnel Licensing Act, as provided in
             166      Section 58-63-103 .
             167          (20) The Professional Geologist Education and Enforcement Account created in
             168      Section 58-76-103 .
             169          (21) Certain money in the Water Resources Conservation and Development Fund, as

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             170      provided in Section 59-12-103 .

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