Law / United States / 
Massachusetts
Telecommunications relay service and specialized customer premises equipment programs, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 166, s. 15E
In force since .
An accessibility requirements rule binding government bodies.
- Instrument type
- an act of a legislature
What it requires
- If you are the State 911 Department, provide and maintain a distribution service for specialized customer premises equipment, and make it available to a residential subscriber certified by the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind or MassAbility as in need of it (ch. 166, s. 15E(b)).
- If you are the State 911 Department, provide the equipment free of charge, or at reduced rates under a schedule set by the Department of Telecommunications and Cable if that Department first certifies that the subscriber cannot afford it at full cost (ch. 166, s. 15E(b)).
- If you are the State 911 Department, issue with the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing a request for proposals, subject to the review and approval of the Department of Telecommunications and Cable, seeking competitive bids from qualified vendors before you implement the equipment service or the telecommunications relay service (ch. 166, s. 15E(c) and (e)).
- If you are the Department of Telecommunications and Cable, exercise general oversight over the equipment and telecommunications relay service programs, including their rates, terms and conditions, service quality and enforcement of federal minimum standards (ch. 166, s. 15E(f)).
- If you are the State 911 Department, promulgate the regulations needed to implement section 15E, in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications and Cable and the advisory committee on accessibility to communication services for disabled persons (ch. 166, s. 15E(i)).
These lines are LexLint's reading of the law's text.
What this law does
In section 15E of chapter 166, the department is the State 911 Department. Section 15E directs the State 911 Department to provide and maintain a distribution service for specialized customer premises equipment, available to certified residential subscribers. The Department of Telecommunications and Cable has general oversight over the equipment and telecommunications relay service programs.
Before the telecommunications relay service is implemented, the State 911 Department and the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing must issue a request for proposals seeking competitive bids from qualified vendors. Section 15E, as substituted by chapter 223 of the Acts of 2008, took effect on .
When LexLint raises it
When your app profile says your app provides telecom services.
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