1999

SENATE BILL 99-165

BY SENATORS Rupert, Epps, Feeley, Hernandez, Linkhart, Martinez, Perlmutter, Phillips, Tanner, and Tebedo;

also REPRESENTATIVES McElhany, Bacon, Clapp, Decker, Gagliardi, Keller, Lawrence, Lee, Leyba, Mace, Miller, Plant, Saliman, Scott, Taylor, Tochtrop, Tupa, S. Williams, Windels, Witwer, and Zimmerman.

SECTION 1.  40-17-104 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended and the said 40-17-104 is further amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION, to read:

40-17-104.  Colorado disabled telephone users fund - creation - purpose. (1)  Except as otherwise authorized to be retained by section 40-17-103 (3) (e), all moneys collected by the local exchange companies in accordance with said section shall be transmitted to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the "Colorado disabled telephone users fund", which fund is hereby created and is referred to in this article as the "fund". On July 1, 1992, any moneys in the "Colorado disabled telephone users fund" created by section 40-17-103, as said section existed prior to July 1, 1992, shall be credited to the fund as created by this section. The general assembly shall make annual appropriations out of such fund for the administration of the fund and shall make annual appropriations to the reading services for the blind cash fund, created in section 24-90-105.5 (5), C.R.S., for use by the state librarian in support of privately operated reading services for the blind. The moneys in such fund not used for administration of such fund and not used for the reading services for the blind cash fund are hereby continuously appropriated to the public utilities commission for the reimbursement of providers who render telecommunications services authorized by this article.

(3)  The commission is hereby authorized to collect information in order to prepare a written report that shall specify telecommunications equipment and service needs of disabled telephone users in Colorado. Such report shall be submitted to the business affairs and labor committees of the senate and the house of representatives on or before December 15, 1999.

SECTION 2.  Appropriation. (1)  In addition to any other appropriation, for the fiscal year 1999-2000, there is hereby appropriated, out of the Colorado disabled telephone users fund created in section 40-17-104, Colorado Revised Statutes, to the Colorado reading services for the blind cash fund created in section 24-90-105.5 (5), Colorado Revised Statutes, the sum of ninety-three thousand eight hundred dollars ($93,800), or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be used in implementing section 24-90-105.5, Colorado Revised Statutes.

(2)  In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of the reading services to the blind cash fund created in section 24-90-105.5 (5), Colorado Revised Statutes, to the department of education, for the fiscal year 1999-2000, the sum of ninety-three thousand eight hundred dollars ($93,800), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the implementation of section 24-90-105.5, Colorado Revised Statutes.

SECTION 3.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.

____________________________ ____________________________

Ray Powers Russell George

PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

____________________________ ____________________________

Patricia K. Dicks Judith M. Rodrigue

SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED________________________________________

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Bill Owens

GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO