N.Y. Public Service Law § 92-a: Special telephone equipment for deaf and hard of hearing persons

* § 92-a. Special telephone equipment for deaf and hard of hearing

persons. 1. The commission shall require any regulated landline

telephone corporation providing local exchange service to sell or lease

special telecommunication equipment to a person certified as deaf or

hard of hearing where the addition of such equipment is necessary to

enable such person to access and utilize the local exchange network. The

sale of such equipment shall be at an amount not to exceed the actual

purchase price by the corporation and the lease of such equipment shall

be at a rate to be determined by the commission. Any person who leases

such equipment shall be permitted to apply the lease payments toward the

equipment's purchase.

2. The commission shall authorize the establishment of the New York

telecommunications relay service workforce. In developing a request for

proposals to provide telecommunications relay service the commission

shall include the following minimum provisions:

(a) The provider of telecommunications relay service shall, in

performing services under a contract awarded pursuant to this

subdivision, employ or engage a workforce, all of whom shall reside

within Onondaga county or an adjoining county within the state of New

York;

(b) A minimum of eighty percent of all calls utilizing

telecommunications relay service must be routed to and through the New

York telecommunications relay service workforce; and

(c) A contract to provide telecommunications relay service shall be

renewable for up to five years, and the commission shall be empowered to

promulgate and adopt all regulations required to implement the terms of

this subdivision.

* NB Effective until June 30, 2030

* § 92-a. Special telephone equipment for deaf and hard of hearing

persons. The commission shall require any regulated landline telephone

corporation providing local exchange service to sell or lease special

telecommunication equipment to a person certified as deaf or hard of

hearing where the addition of such equipment is necessary to enable such

person to access and utilize the local exchange network. The sale of

such equipment shall be at an amount not to exceed the actual purchase

price by the corporation and the lease of such equipment shall be at a

rate to be determined by the commission. Any person who leases such

equipment shall be permitted to apply the lease payments toward the

equipment's purchase.

* NB Effective June 30, 2030