BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2784
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 8, 2002

                    ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
                              Roderick D. Wright, Chair
                 AB 2784 (Chavez) - As Introduced:  February 25, 2002
           
          SUBJECT  :  Telephone corporations:  disabled telecommunications  
          program.

           SUMMARY  :  Authorizes a licensed optometrist, acting within the  
          scope of practice of his or her license, to certify, in a  
          statement of visual need, that a subscriber's visual disability  
          requires that the subscriber be furnished specialized telephone  
          equipment under the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC)  
          disabled telecommunications program.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Requires PUC to design and implement a program to provide  
            telecommunications devices to serve the needs of persons who  
            are deaf of hearing impaired, at no charge additional to the  
            basic exchange rate.

          2)Requires PUC to design an implement a program in which  
            specialized or supplemental telephone communications equipment  
            may be provided to persons who are certified to be disabled,  
            at no charge additional to the basic exchange rate.

          3)Requires the certification of disability, including a  
            statement of medical need, to be provided by a licensed  
            physician and surgeon, acting within the scope of practice of  
            his or her license, or by a relevant state or federal agency.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :

          According to the author, California needs to do all it can to  
          assist its visually impaired citizens in gaining access to  
          services that allow them to live productive, happy and healthy  
          lives.  Access to telephone service is crucial to maintaining  
          connections to one's community and maintaining gainful  
          employment.

          The author and sponsor note that many visually impaired  








                                                                  AB 2784
                                                                  Page  2

          individuals in the state require special equipment install at  
          home or at work to assist them in utilizing telephone services.   
          The requirement in existing law that the requisite certification  
          from a physician or government agency can in some communities  
          become a significant barrier to obtaining the specialized  
          equipment.  This bill creates options for the visually impaired  
          consumers by increasing the pool of individuals who are  
          qualified to certify visual disabilities.

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support 
           
          California Optometric Association (sponsor)
          Society for the Blind (sponsor)

           Opposition 
           
          None on file
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Paul Donahue / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083