Bill > HB1154

This bill creates the Communication Services for People with Disabilities Enterprise, a new state entity designed to improve communication services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have speech disabilities. The enterprise will be established within the Department of Human Services and will be governed by a board of directors appointed by the governor, with members serving three-year staggered terms. The bill introduces two primary funding mechanisms: a telephone disability access surcharge (up to 15 cents per month per telephone access line) and a prepaid telephone disability access charge (up to 15 cents per prepaid wireless service transaction), both of which will be collected by service providers and telecommunications companies. The enterprise will use these funds to coordinate communication services, including establishing telecommunications relay services, providing communications technology equipment, arranging auxiliary services for the state court system, and supporting sign language interpreter certifications. The bill also restructures the existing Colorado Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind, transforming it into an advisory council and creating a new Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind within the enterprise. The goal is to centralize and unify communication access resources, improve service quality, and create cost savings for the state while ensuring better communication accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1154