Senate Passes Bill Authorizing Five-Year Extension of Telecommunications Relay Service Center

Senator John A. DeFrancisco announced that the New York State Senate passed on May 8, 2012, his bill (S6794-A) that would authorize a five-year extension for the New York Telecommunications Relay Center to remain in Syracuse.

“This bill requires that the New York Telecommunications Relay Service Center remain in Syracuse, and along with it, nearly 100 private-sector jobs,” said Senator DeFrancisco.

“As the center continues to grow and to add new services, I am hopeful that more telecommunications jobs will be created in Syracuse,” added Senator DeFrancisco.

The telecommunications jobs were brought to Syracuse in 2003 after Senator DeFrancisco sponsored a bill providing for the Syracuse Telephone Relay Service Center to be located here.  The new bill would extend provisions of public service law to keep the relay center in Syracuse until June 1, 2018.

The relay service provides full telephone accessibility to people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, and speech-disabled. This service allows text-telephone (TTY) users to communicate with standard telephone users through specially trained relay operators with special equipment.

The bill has been sent to the Governor.