PRINTER'S NO. 513
No. 454 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS, BELARDI, ITKIN, NOYE, FAIRCHILD, ALLEN,
BELFANTI, MARKOSEK, FARGO, CAPPABIANCA, HERMAN, MICOZZIE,
RUDY, DEMPSEY, RAYMOND, TIGUE, PESCI, HECKLER, STUBAN,
GODSHALL, GEIST, SERAFINI, STABACK, GIGLIOTTI, WOGAN, FOX,
JOHNSON, G. SNYDER, LAUGHLIN, BUNT, MAIALE, VROON, BISHOP,
TRELLO, McCALL, NAHILL, CAWLEY, CIVERA, OLASZ, COLAIZZO,
GRUPPO, TANGRETTI AND E. Z. TAYLOR, MARCH 11, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, MARCH 11, 1991
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 16, 1986 (P.L.1621, No.184),
2 entitled "An act establishing and imposing powers and duties
3 on the Office for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired in the
4 Department of Labor and Industry; and establishing and
5 providing powers and duties for the Advisory Council for the
6 Deaf and Hearing Impaired in the Department of Labor and
7 Industry," providing for devices for the hearing-impaired and
8 speech-impaired; imposing powers and duties on the
9 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; and imposing a rate
10 surcharge.
11 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12 hereby enacts as follows:
13 Section 1. The act of December 16, 1986 (P.L.1621, No.184),
14 entitled "An act establishing and imposing powers and duties on
15 the Office for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired in the Department
16 of Labor and Industry; and establishing and providing powers and
17 duties for the Advisory Council for the Deaf and Hearing
18 Impaired in the Department of Labor and Industry," is amended by
19 adding sections to read:
1 Section 1.1. Definitions.
2 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
3 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
4 context clearly indicates otherwise:
5 "Braille telecommunication device." A typewriter with a
6 braille keyboard and with the capability to communicate the
7 information typed onto the keyboard by electronically
8 transmitting the data, in braille, to another person.
9 "Deaf-blind." Central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the
10 better eye with corrective lenses or central acuity greater than
11 20/200 if a peripheral diameter of the visual field subtends an
12 angular distance no greater than 20 degrees; and either a
13 chronic hearing impairment so severe that most speech cannot be
14 understood with optimum amplification, a speech discrimination
15 score of 40% or less in the better ear, or both.
16 "Hearing-impaired." A condition affecting the ability of a
17 person to hear and to use telecommunications devices, as
18 evidenced by a certificate that labels the person named in the
19 certificate as deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing.
20 "Speech-impaired." A condition affecting the ability of a
21 person to speak and to use telecommunications devices, as
22 evidenced by a certificate that labels the person named in the
23 certificate as speech-impaired.
24 "Telecommunications devices for the hearing-impaired and
25 speech-impaired." A typewriter with a keyboard and with a
26 readable display that couples with the telephone to allow
27 messages to be typed rather than spoken. The term includes
28 braille telecommunication devices and large print displays.
29 Section 4.1. Establishment of a telecommunications device
30 distribution program.
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1 (a) Director's powers and duties.--The Director of the
2 Office for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, with the cooperation
3 of other State agencies which deal with hearing-impaired and
4 speech-impaired persons, shall establish and administer a
5 Statewide program to purchase and distribute telecommunication
6 devices for the hearing-impaired and speech-impaired. To this
7 end, the Director may:
8 (1) Adopt criteria and publish rules and forms to
9 establish and implement the telecommunications device
10 distribution program under this section.
11 (2) Determine the amount of moneys needed to fund the
12 telecommunications device distribution program and give the
13 determination to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
14 (b) Imposition of rate surcharge.--The Pennsylvania Public
15 Utility Commission shall review the information and determine a
16 surcharge to be imposed on all access lines and identified
17 separately on the ratepayer's monthly bill. Proceeds from the
18 surcharge shall be used exclusively to further the
19 telecommunications device distribution program established under
20 this act.
21 Section 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 1992.
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