Bill Text: NY S03938 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directs the public service commission to require all telephone corporations to provide free directory information or assistance to blind persons meeting specified visual acuity standards and also to certain other physically handicapped persons who are certified as meeting certain specified criteria; requires that the public service commission establish procedures by which free access to directory information and assistance is automatically registered as exempt from all charges; related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S03938 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-S03938-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         3938
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     April 7, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  OPPENHEIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and
         when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommu-
         nications
       AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to mandating  direc-
         tory information or assistance for certain eligible persons at no cost
         to such persons
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
    2  92-g to read as follows:
    3    S  92-G.  DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS. 1. THE COMMISSION
    4  SHALL REQUIRE ALL TELEPHONE CORPORATIONS TO PROVIDE  DIRECTORY  INFORMA-
    5  TION  OR  ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION TWO
    6  OF THIS SECTION, AT NO COST TO  SUCH  PERSONS.    THE  COMMISSION  SHALL
    7  ESTABLISH PROCEDURES BY WHICH FREE ACCESS TO SUCH INFORMATION OR ASSIST-
    8  ANCE  FOR  SUCH  PERSONS  IS AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED AS EXEMPT FROM ALL
    9  CHARGES.
   10    2. THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR  SERVICE  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
   11  SECTION:
   12    (A)  BLIND  PERSONS  WHOSE  VISUAL  ACUITY, AS DETERMINED BY COMPETENT
   13  AUTHORITY, IS 20/200 OR LESS IN THE BETTER EYE WITH  CORRECTING  LENSES,
   14  OR  WHOSE  WIDEST  DIAMETER OF VISUAL FIELD SUBTENDS ANGULAR DISTANCE NO
   15  GREATER THAN TWENTY DEGREES.
   16    (B) OTHER PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS ARE ELIGIBLE AS FOLLOWS:
   17    (I) PERSONS WHOSE VISUAL DISABILITY, WITH CORRECTION AND REGARDLESS OF
   18  OPTICAL MEASUREMENT, IS CERTIFIED BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY  AS  PREVENTING
   19  THE READING OF STANDARD PRINTED MATERIAL.
   20    (II)  PERSONS  CERTIFIED  BY  COMPETENT AUTHORITY AS UNABLE TO READ OR
   21  UNABLE TO USE STANDARD PRINTED MATERIAL AS A RESULT OF PHYSICAL  LIMITA-
   22  TIONS.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD09260-01-9
       S. 3938                             2
    1    (III)  PERSONS  CERTIFIED  BY  COMPETENT AUTHORITY AS HAVING A READING
    2  DISABILITY RESULTING FROM ORGANIC DYSFUNCTION AND OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY
    3  TO PREVENT THEIR READING OF PRINTED MATERIAL IN A NORMAL MANNER.
    4    (C) CERTIFYING AUTHORITY:
    5    (I) IN CASES OF BLINDNESS, VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, OR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS,
    6  "COMPETENT AUTHORITY" IS DEFINED TO INCLUDE DOCTORS OF MEDICINE; DOCTORS
    7  OF OSTEOPATHY; OPHTHALMOLOGISTS; OPTOMETRISTS; REGISTERED NURSES; THERA-
    8  PISTS;  AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF HOSPITALS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PUBLIC OR
    9  PRIVATE WELFARE AGENCIES (E.G., SOCIAL WORKERS, CASEWORKERS, COUNSELORS,
   10  REHABILITATION TEACHERS, AND SUPERINTENDENTS).
   11    (II) IN THE CASE  OF  READING  DISABILITY  FROM  ORGANIC  DYSFUNCTION,
   12  COMPETENT  AUTHORITY  IS  DEFINED  AS DOCTORS OF MEDICINE AND DOCTORS OF
   13  OSTEOPATHY WHO MAY CONSULT WITH COLLEAGUES IN ASSOCIATED DISCIPLINES.
   14    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
   15  it shall have become a law. Any rules and regulations necessary for  the
   16  timely implementation of this act on its effective date shall be promul-
   17  gated on or before such date.