HBA-JEK H.B. 2345 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2345
By: Naishtat
Human Services
3/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing operates a
specialized telecommunications device assistance program (program) to
provide vouchers for specialized telecommunications equipment to
individuals who have a disability that interferes with their ability to
access the telephone network. Participation in the program has been lower
than expected, but improvements in the program and the promotion of the
program might increase telecommunication access for individuals who are
deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech impairment.  House Bill 2345
modifies provisions regarding the program and removes the $35 fee that is
required for an individual to receive a voucher. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Public Utility Commission of Texas
in SECTION 5 of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2345 amends the Utilities Code to remove the stipulation that an
individual must have access to a telephone line in the individual's home or
place of business to be eligible for an assistance voucher under the
specialized telecommunication assistance program for the deaf and hard of
hearing (program).  
The bill authorizes the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to promote
the program and provides that rules adopted by the PUC must require private
for-profit publishers of residential telephone directories to prominently
list the program's contact information.  The bill requires the PUC to adopt
the new rules promptly and make them apply to directories published on or
after January 1, 2002. 

The bill removes the provision that requires a recipient of a voucher to
pay a $35 fee, and provides that an individual who has exchanged a voucher
for a specialized telecommunications device is not eligible to receive
another voucher before the fifth rather than the seventh anniversary of the
date of the exchange. The bill also provides that an individual is not
eligible for a voucher if the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing has issued a voucher to another individual in the same household
for a device or service, regardless of whether or not the individuals share
the same telephone line.  The bill requires the PUC, as soon as practicable
after September 1, 2001, to adopt rules to conform the program to the
changes in law made by this bill. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.