§ 326-b. Fund established; participation; other provisions. 1. There
is hereby established in the joint custody of the commissioner and the
comptroller the equipment loan fund for the disabled.

2. Participation in the loan of the monies of the fund shall be
available to all disabled persons on the basis of need, pursuant to
regulations of the commissioner.

3. The loan fund shall provide the disabled with the financial
opportunity to purchase or replace essential equipment used by them for
daily living or vocational functioning following rehabilitation,
including, but not limited to, prosthesis, ramps, wheelchairs,
wheelchair van lifts, telecommunication devices for the deaf and hard of
hearing, devices which allow persons who are blind or visually impaired
to discern printed materials and adaptive equipment to permit a disabled
person to operate a motor vehicle but not to purchase or replace a motor
vehicle itself.

4. Loans shall be made available directly to the disabled person, the
parent, legal guardian, or individual with whom such disabled person
resides.

5. Where any equipment purchase is approved by the department, a loan
shall be made in an amount not to exceed four thousand dollars per
applicant.

6. The commissioner shall establish regulations governing payment of
interest, repayment periods, certification and approval of purchase, and
such other orders, rules and regulations as may be necessary for
interpretations, implementation or administration of this article.

7. During the first three years of operation of the fund, the
department shall submit to the governor and legislature annually a
summary report setting forth such information as the department deems
relevant to monitor and evaluate the progress of the fund.

8. The fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for the purpose
of such fund, all monies transferred to such fund pursuant to law, all
monies required by the provisions of this section or any other law to be
paid into or credited to this fund, and all monies, including interest,
paid by borrowers to the fund in repayment of loans made from the fund.

9. Monies of the fund following appropriations made by the legislature
and allocation by the director of the budget to the fund, shall be
available solely for the purpose of enabling eligible applicants to
borrow money at less than the prevailing rates of interest for
comparable loans.

10. When used in this article, the term "disabled" shall mean a person
having a disability as so defined in section two hundred ninety-two of
the executive law.