BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
AB 2757 (Wright)
Hearing Date: 8/7/00 Amended:
6/21/00
Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: E,U&C 6-1
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 2757 would extend from 1/1/01 to 1/1/05 a
surcharge on intrastate telephone service for the purpose
of recovering the costs for providing telecommunications
devices for the hearing impaired. The bill would require
the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to implement a
program to provide free access to telephonic reading
systems for individuals with print disabilities. The bill
would state the intent of the Legislature that $185,000 of
the amount appropriated to the California State Library for
local assistance in the 2000 Budget Act of 2000 be used by
the to fund the operations of telephonic reading centers in
certain cities, from 10/1/00 to 9/30/01, in implementation
of the bill.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03
Fund
Program extension $140 one time to develop
protocolsSpecial* and
implement the program; similar
ongoing costs
Surcharge $300 (for existing centers) to $1,000Special*
(revenues) annually; funded by estimated increase
in existing authorization of less than 0.05
percent
* Deaf & Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative
Committee Fund
STAFF COMMENTS: Telephonic reading systems, in which the
caller can hear the reading of various printed materials,
can be accessed by using a standard touch-tone telephone.
There are six reading centers in the state, one each in
Fresno, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego and two in
Sacramento. Up to 24 users can access each center
simultaneously, but persons calling from outside a center's
calling area (about 12 miles) cannot utilize the service
without incurring long distance telephone charges. This
bill would provide statewide toll-free access to a single
system. Persons eligible to access the service would be
those who qualify under federal regulations for loans of
library materials tailored for blind and other physically
handicapped persons.
The program would be funded from revenues in the Deaf and
Disabled Telecommunications Program Administrative
Committee Fund, which was established to provide
telecommunications devices to the disabled. Revenues to
the fund come from a surcharge established by the PUC on
intrastate telephone service which has a statutory ceiling
of 0.5 percent. The current surcharge is 0.19.
The fiscal impact of the intent language is to urge the
State Library to use $185,000 of funds it received in the
2000 Budget Act to fund telephonic reading centers (for
costs incurred between 10/1/00 and 9/30/01) until the
revenues authorized by this bill become available.