Bill Text: NY S03573 | 2019-2020 | 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; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S03573 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S03573-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          3573
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    February 11, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
          cations
        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-i to read as follows:
     3    § 92-i. 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.
                                                                   LBD09606-01-9
        S. 3573                             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    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    15  it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately the addition,  amend-
    16  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    17  tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
    18  completed on or before such effective date.