093_HB0484

 
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 1        AN ACT concerning telecommunications services.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended  by
 5    changing Section 13-703 as follows:

 6        (220 ILCS 5/13-703) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-703)
 7        (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2005)
 8        Sec. 13-703.  Services for disabled.
 9        (a)  The Commission shall design and implement a  program
10    whereby   each  telecommunications  carrier  providing  local
11    exchange service shall provide  a  telecommunications  device
12    capable  of  servicing  the  needs  of  those  persons with a
13    hearing or speech disability together  with  a  single  party
14    line,  at no charge additional to the basic exchange rate, to
15    any subscriber who is certified as having a hearing or speech
16    disability   by   a   licensed   physician,   speech-language
17    pathologist, audiologist, or a qualified State agency and  to
18    any  subscriber which is an organization serving the needs of
19    those  persons  with  a  hearing  or  speech  disability   as
20    determined  and  specified  by  the  Commission  pursuant  to
21    subsection (d).
22        As used in this Section, "disability" means a physical or
23    sensory  impairment  that limits an individual's access to or
24    usage of telecommunications services.  "Disability" includes,
25    without limitation, a speech, vision, or  hearing  impairment
26    and any other physical impairment that limits an individual's
27    ability to use telecommunications equipment and services.
28        (b)  The Commission shall design and implement a program,
29    whereby   each  telecommunications  carrier  providing  local
30    exchange service shall  provide  a  telecommunications  relay
31    system,  using  third  party  intervention  to  connect those
 
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 1    persons having a hearing or speech disability with persons of
 2    normal hearing by way of intercommunications devices and  the
 3    telephone  system,  making available reasonable access to all
 4    phases of public telephone service  to  persons  who  have  a
 5    hearing   or   speech  disability.   In  order  to  design  a
 6    telecommunications  relay  system   which   will   meet   the
 7    requirements  of  those  persons  with  a  hearing  or speech
 8    disability available at a  reasonable  cost,  the  Commission
 9    shall  initiate  an investigation and conduct public hearings
10    to determine the  most  cost-effective  method  of  providing
11    telecommunications  relay service to those persons who have a
12    hearing or speech disability  when  using  telecommunications
13    devices and therein solicit the advice, counsel, and physical
14    assistance of Statewide nonprofit consumer organizations that
15    serve  persons  with  hearing  or speech disabilities in such
16    hearings and during the development and implementation of the
17    system.  The Commission shall phase in  this  program,  on  a
18    geographical  basis,  as soon as is practicable, but no later
19    than June 30, 1990.
20        (c)  The  Commission  shall  establish  a  rate  recovery
21    mechanism, authorizing charges in an amount to be  determined
22    by  the  Commission  for  each  line of a subscriber to allow
23    telecommunications carriers providing local exchange  service
24    to recover costs as they are incurred under this Section.
25        (d)  The  Commission  shall  determine  and specify those
26    organizations serving the needs of  those  persons  having  a
27    hearing   or   speech   disability   that   shall  receive  a
28    telecommunications device and in which offices the  equipment
29    shall be installed in the case of an organization having more
30    than   one   office.   For  the  purposes  of  this  Section,
31    "organizations  serving  the  needs  of  those  persons  with
32    hearing or speech disabilities" means centers for independent
33    living as described in Section 12a of  the  Disabled  Persons
34    Rehabilitation  Act  and  not-for-profit  organizations whose
 
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 1    primary purpose is serving the needs of  those  persons  with
 2    hearing  or speech disabilities.  The Commission shall direct
 3    the telecommunications carriers subject to  its  jurisdiction
 4    and  this  Section  to  comply  with  its  determinations and
 5    specifications in this regard.
 6        (e)  As   used    in    this    Section,    the    phrase
 7    "telecommunications carrier providing local exchange service"
 8    includes, without otherwise limiting the meaning of the term,
 9    telecommunications carriers which are purely mutual concerns,
10    having  no  rates  or  charges  for  services, but paying the
11    operating expenses by assessment upon the members of  such  a
12    company and no other person.
13    (Source: P.A. 88-497.)

14        Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
15    July 1, 2003.