H 4545 General Bill, By Sandifer, Barrett, Cato and Trotter
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 58-9-2540, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR
 MONITORING THE STATEWIDE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY ACCESS SERVICE FOR HEARING
 AND SPEECH-IMPAIRED PERSONS AND FOR HEARING AND VISUALLY-IMPAIRED PERSONS, SO
 AS TO ADD REPRESENTATIVES TO THE COMMITTEE FROM THE NATIONAL FEDERATION FOR
 THE BLIND OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND.

   02/03/00  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-9
   02/03/00  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-9
   02/23/00  House  Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-2
   02/29/00  House  Read second time HJ-15
   03/01/00  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-18
   03/02/00  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   03/02/00  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-6

Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE REPORT

February 23, 2000

H. 4545

S. Printed 2/23/00--H. [SEC 2/24/00 1:26 PM]

Read the first time February 3, 2000.

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 4545), to amend Section 58-9-2540, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the advisory committee to the Public Service Commission for monitoring the statewide telecommunications relay access service for hearing, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

HARRY F. CATO, for Committee.

TO AMEND SECTION 58-9-2540, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR MONITORING THE STATEWIDE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY ACCESS SERVICE FOR HEARING AND SPEECH-IMPAIRED PERSONS AND FOR HEARING AND VISUALLY-IMPAIRED PERSONS, SO AS TO ADD REPRESENTATIVES TO THE COMMITTEE FROM THE NATIONAL FEDERATION FOR THE BLIND OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 58-9-2540 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 396 of 1992, is further amended to read:

"Section 58-9-2540. (A) The commission may appoint an advisory committee to monitor the statewide telecommunications relay access service and advise and make recommendations to the commission in pursuing services which meet the needs of the hearing or speech-impaired and others similarly impaired in communicating with other users of telecommunications services.

(B) The advisory committee consists of nine eleven members as follows:

(1) one representative from the Spartanburg School for the Deaf and Blind;

(2) one representative from the South Carolina Association of the Deaf, Inc.;

(3) one representative from the South Carolina Telephone Association;

(4) two representatives from the commission staff;

(5) one representative from the provider of the dual party relay service;

(6) one representative from the office of the Consumer Advocate;

(7) one representative from the office of the Division of Information Resource Management, State Budget and Control Board; and

(8) one hearing-impaired person who is an active member of Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH);

(9) one representative from the National Federation for the Blind of South Carolina; and

(10) one representative from the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

The advisory committee must be appointed by the commission upon the recommendations of the applicable agency or organization. The commission shall prescribe regulations which set forth guidelines for the responsibilities, duties, and authority of the committee. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.