Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 2.djvu/681

 PUBLIC LAW 97-410—JAN. 3, 1983

96 STAT. 2043

Public Law 97-410 97th Congress An Act To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide reasonable access to telephone service for persons with impaired hearing and to enable telephone companies to accommodate persons with other physical disabilities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982. SEC. 2. The Congress finds that— (1) all persons should have available the best telephone service which is technologically and economically feasible; (2) currently available technology is capable of providing telephone service to some individuals who, because of hearing impairments, require telephone reception by means of hearing aids with induction coils, or other inductive receptors; (3) the lack of technical standards ensuring compatibility between hearing aids and telephones has prevented receipt of the best telephone service which is technologically and economically feasible; and (4) adoption of technical standards is required in order to ensure compatibility between telephones and hearing aids, thereby accommodating the needs of individuals with hearing impairments. SEC. 3. Title VI of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:

Jan. 3, 1983 [8.2355] Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982. 47 USC 609 note. 47 USC 610 note.

"TELEPHONE SERVICE FOR THE DISABLED

"SEC. 610. (a) The Commission shall establish such regulations as are necessary to ensure reasonable access to telephone service by persons with impaired hearing. "Q3) The Commission shall require that essential telephones provide internal means for effective use with hearing aids that are specially designed for telephone use. For purposes of this subsection, the term 'essential telephones' means only coin-operated telephones, telephones provided for emergency use, and other telephones frequently needed for use by persons using such hearing aids. "(c) The Commission shall establish or approve such technical standards as are required to enforce this section. "(d) The Commission shall establish such requirements for the labeling of packaging materials for equipment as are needed to provide adequate information to consumers on the compatibility between telephones and hearing aids. "(e) In any rulemaking to implement the provisions of this section, the (Jommission shall specifically consider the costs and benefits to all telephone users, including persons with and without hearing impairments. The Commission shall ensure that regulations adopted to implement this section encourage the use of currently available technology and do not discourage or impair the development of improved technology.

Regulations. 47 USC 610. "Essential telephones."

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