(a) The Department in consultation with the Board shall:
(1) establish and administer a program to provide cost-efficient, 24-hour, dual party relay service to program participants at a comparable level of access and quality that a standard telecommunication service provides to a person without a hearing or speech disability;
(2) develop the program in collaboration with State programs currently serving disabled individuals and with community agencies or other organizations that have established relay programs; and
(3) maintain an information and referral service to provide information about the availability of the relay service.
Private vendors, non-profit organizations, staff
(b) The Department in consultation with the Board shall:
(1) contract with a private vendor or nonprofit organization to provide the information and referral service required under subsection (a)(3) of this section; and
(2) provide appropriate staff assistance from the Department, including a director, to assist the Board in carrying out its duties under this subtitle.
Director
(c) The director provided under subsection (b)(2) of this section shall:
(1) be an individual who is:
(i) deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled; and
(ii) is a user of telecommunications relay services;
(2) direct the implementation of services and programs established in accordance with this subtitle and Subtitle 9 of this title; and
(3) advise the Department and the Secretary of Disabilities on regulatory policy and the administration of the Universal Service Trust Fund.
Credits
Added as State Finance and Procurement § 3A-504 by Acts 2008, c. 9, § 2, eff. July 1, 2008. Amended by Acts 2012, c. 571, § 1, eff. July 1, 2012; Acts 2012, c. 572, § 1, eff. July 1, 2012. Transferred to be Human Services § 7-804 by Acts 2020, c. 586, § 1, eff. July 1, 2020. Amended by Acts 2020, c. 586, § 2, eff. July 1, 2020.
MD Code, Human Services, § 7-804, MD HUMAN SERV § 7-804
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
