[Nfb-hi] FW: Newsline bill SB893

[Milton Ota]

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From: Virgil Stinnett [mailto:one.fisherman at hawaiiantel.net] 
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2011 6:55 AM
To: Virgil Stinnett
Subject: Newsline bill SB893







Aloha All,


Below you will find the language for our Newsline bill.


  Please get your testimony ready to submit as soon as we find out when our bill is going to be read.  We need all of your help in supporting this bill.  If you don't use Newsline you might know someone who does or someone who might benefit from the free service you can have them call me or e-mail me and I will connect them to Milton Ota who is our Newsline Coordinator


Also, you can e-mail me your testimony and I can make sure that it is submitted to the committee who is going to hear the bill.  We will need as many people ready to go at short notice to the capital when the bill is going to be read. That is when we will need you to give both your written and verbal testimony.  We would like to fill the conference room when our bill is ready to be heard.
Mahalo and aloha,
Virgil
THE SENATE
 S.B. NO.
 893

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
 

STATE OF HAWAII
 


 








A BILL FOR AN ACT





relating to information access.





BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:





     SECTION 1.  Thousands of Hawaii residents experience disabilities such as visual impairments, dyslexia, and physical impairments that prevent them from directly accessing conventional print media.  Many printed materials are available through governmental and nonprofit agencies in accessible formats such as braille, large print, or audio recording.  However, it is generally not practical to provide time-sensitive information such as a local daily newspaper in these specialized formats.  The legislature finds that even in a media environment where information is frequently available in multiple formats that are both portable and widely accessible, telephone-based audible information access remains an important service for many individuals.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§269‑    Telephone-based access to time-sensitive print media.  (a)  The public utilities commission shall ensure that a telephone-based audible information access service is available statewide to individuals with visual or other impairments that limit access to printed media.

     (b)  The commission shall investigate the availability of experienced providers of quality telephone-based audible information access service and shall award a contract to provide this service to the provider or providers that the commission determines to be best qualified.  In reviewing the qualifications of the provider or providers, the commission shall consider the factors of cost, quality of services, experience, and any other factors that the commission deems appropriate.

     (c)  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to administer a telephone-based audible information access service, including the establishment of a surcharge or other mechanism to collect customer contributions which shall be deposited into the universal service fund established pursuant to section 269-42 to recover the costs of establishing and maintaining the service.

     (d)  As used in this section:

     "Telephone-based audible information access service" means the delivery of current daily newspapers and other periodicals in audio format through a telephone call to a local or toll-free telephone number."

     SECTION 3.  Section 269-41, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§269-41[]]  Universal service program; establishment; purpose; principles.  There is established the universal service program.  The purpose of this program is to:

     (1)  Maintain affordable, just, and reasonable rates for basic residential telecommunications service, as defined by the commission;

     (2)  Assist customers located in the areas of the State that have high costs [of] for essential telecommunications service, low-income customers, and customers with disabilities[,] in obtaining and maintaining access to a basic set of essential telecommunications services as determined by the commission[.  The]; provided that the commission may expand or otherwise modify relevant programs[,] such as the lifeline program [under] established pursuant to section 269-16.5;

     (3)  Ensure that consumers in all communities are provided with access[,] at reasonably comparable rates[,] to all telecommunications services [which are] used by a majority of consumers located in metropolitan areas of the State[.  The]; provided that the commission shall provide for a reasonable transition period to support the statewide deployment of these advanced telecommunications services[,] including[,] but not limited to[, the use of] using strategic community access points in public facilities such as education, library, and health care facilities;

     (4)  Ensure that consumers are given the information necessary to make informed choices among the alternative telecommunications carriers and services; [and]

     (5)  Promote affordable access throughout the State to enhanced government information and services, including education, health care, public safety, and other government services[.]; and

     (6)  Provide access for visually or otherwise impaired individuals to civic and community information, including timely news media through telecommunications infrastructure.

     The commission shall administer the universal service program, including [the establishment of criteria by which] by establishing criteria to effectuate the purposes of the program [are met]."

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the universal service fund established pursuant to section 269-42, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2011-2012 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 to establish and maintain a telephone-based audible information access service.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the public utilities commission for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.



INTRODUCED BY:
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Report Title:

Telephone-based Audible Information Access Service; Public Utilities Commission; Appropriation



Description:

Directs the public utilities commission to establish and maintain a telephone-based audible information access service to provide access to daily newspapers and other periodicals in an audio medium; amends the purpose of the universal service program to include information access; makes appropriation.







The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.


 

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