Assembly Actions -
Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE |
|
---|---|
Jan 04, 2012 |
referred to energy and telecommunications |
Jan 05, 2011 |
referred to energy and telecommunications |
Senate Bill S485
2011-2012 Legislative Session
Sponsored By
(R, C, IP) Senate District
Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee
- Introduced
-
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
-
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
-
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- Delivered to Governor
- Signed By Governor
Actions
2011-S485 (ACTIVE) - Details
- Current Committee:
- Senate Energy And Telecommunications
- Law Section:
- Public Service Law
- Laws Affected:
- Add §91-b, amd §18-a, Pub Serv L
- Versions Introduced in 2009-2010 Legislative Session:
-
S431
2011-S485 (ACTIVE) - Summary
Directs the department of public service to implement a program assuring access to telephone service for all New Yorkers, including but not limited to the hearing and visually impaired; provides for the use of assistive telecommunications devices or adaptive equipment; directs local service companies to bear their proportionate share of the costs.
2011-S485 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER:S485 TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public service law, in relation to telephone access for all New Yorkers PURPOSE: The purpose of this bill is to ensure equitable access to basic telephone service for people with disabilities. SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: This bill would direct the Department of Public Service to implement a program that provides equitable access to basic telecommunication services to all people who are deaf, hard of hearing, severely speech impaired, or deaf-blind. The bill includes criteria for eligibility and criteria for affordable technology for those who are financially able. The costs of this program are estimated by the Chairman of the Commission prior to the start of each fiscal year and become a part of the public Service Commission's costs and expenses in § l8-a of the public Service Law. The bill would also provide for the distribution of such telecommunications devices, including those that incorporate new technologies, to people with disabilities. Further, the bill limits eligibility for equipment to those people with
2011-S485 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 485 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E (PREFILED) January 5, 2011 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni- cations AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to telephone access for all New Yorkers THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 91-b to read as follows: S 91-B. TELEPHONE ACCESS FOR ALL NEW YORKERS. 1. THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A STATEWIDE PROGRAM TO DISTRIBUTE, AT NO COST TO THE RECIPIENTS, ASSISTIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICES TO PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, SEVERELY SPEECH IMPAIRED, OR DEAF-BLIND, OR ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT TO PERMIT THE USE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT TO PERSONS WITH OTHER PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SO THAT TELEPHONE SERVICE SHALL BE MADE GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL DISABLED PERSONS IN THE STATE. 2. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTIVE TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES OR ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT, INDIVIDUALS MUST BE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OLD AND MUST BE CERTIFIED AS HAVING THE DISABILITY THAT REQUIRES THE PARTICULAR ASSISTIVE TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES OR ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUESTED BY THE INDIVIDUAL BY A PERSON OR AGENCY AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SUCH CERTIFICATIONS. SUCH PERSONS SHALL INCLUDE BUT NEED NOT BE LIMITED TO PHYSICIANS, AUDIOLOGISTS, SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOL- OGISTS, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELORS, OR OTHER QUALIFIED PROFES- SIONALS WITHIN THE AREA OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. 3. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SECTION, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS HEARING IMPAIRED TO A DEGREE THAT THE ONLY ASSISTIVE TELECOMMUNI- CATION DEVICES REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS WOULD BE AN AMPLIFIER, AMPLIFIED TELEPHONE, AN AUDIBLE SIGNALING DEVICE, OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE ON THE RETAIL MARKET AT A EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted.
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