SB 80-TELECOMMUNICATIONS: DISABLED SUBSCRIBERS  3:24:56 PM CHAIR KITO announced that the next order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 80, "An Act relating to telecommunications services for certain disabled subscribers; and providing for an effective date." 3:25:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL moved to adopt committee substitute (CS) SB 80 as the working document. CHAIR KITO objected for the purpose of discussion. He stated the only change in the CS was to update the effective date. CHAIR KITO removed his objection. There being no further objections, it was so ordered. 3:25:52 PM SENATOR MIA COSTELLO, Alaska State Legislature, reintroduced SB 80 as prime sponsor. She informed that her aide would review the proposed bill for the committee. 3:26:09 PM JOSH WALTON, Staff, Senator Mia Costello, Alaska State Legislature, reintroduced SB 80 on behalf of Senator Costello, prime sponsor. He said SB 80 would expand the landline surcharge to aid hearing disabled subscribers to include cellphones and voice over internet protocol (VOIP) phones. 3:27:14 PM DEAN GATES, President, Alaska Deaf Coalition, testified [via interpreter] in support of SB 80. He said the Alaska Deaf Coalition is advocating for 25,000 Alaskans who have lost their hearing. He said the proposed bill would allow them to use mobile phones and internet. He shared his understanding that the language says the RCA provides support and equipment and there is a need to change the language to telecommunication equipment. He said he encourages the [legislature] to pass the bill as soon as possible. He explained he was signing with an iPad and an interpreter was speaking for him. 3:32:04 PM MILLIE RYAN, Executive Director, REACH, Inc.; Board Member, Key Coalition of Alaska, testified in support of SB 80. She explained REACH, Inc. provides services for people with disabilities. She informed she is also representing Key Coalition of Alaska, a statewide organization for people with disabilities. She said both REACH, Inc. and Key Coalition strongly support the bill. She said people with disabilities want to be independent and make their own appointments, but because sometimes they are hard to understand, people hang up on them. She underlined the proposed bill would offer them the possibility to be more independent. REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked about the technology used to help people with hearing and speech disabilities. MS. RYAN said she knows technology keeps improving and becomes less expensive and more accessible. REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked about the technology allowing people to use video for direct translation. MS. RYAN said she guessed it is only a matter of time before it is available. 3:36:06 PM PAM MUELLER-GUY, Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), testified in support of SB 80. She shared a personal experience in which she had to call for emergency services. She spoke to the increase in costs in devices to aid people who want to be independent. 3:38:20 PM RICK NELSON, Alaska Relay Advisory Board, testified [via interpreter] in support of SB 80. He said the Alaska Relay board is a big supporter of SB 80 because it would allow people who are deaf or hard of hearing or with speech impediments to live independently and communicate. He stated the only people paying for the services are people who have land lines and they are paying .08 cents a month. He said his organization "would like to have it more across the board and that would include mobile services." He explained if mobile services were included, it would drop the surcharge down to .02 cents per line and this will allow for equipment to help more individuals who have low income who can't communicate with anyone else outside their home or community. He stated the Alaska Relay Advisory Board is currently conducting a pilot project that lends devices to rural communities. He added if the proposed bill passed, it would reach out to the whole state and more people would have the ability to communicate. 3:42:50 PM HEIDI KELLY, Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, testified in support of SB 80. She said she speaks on behalf of the autistic community. She shared her experiences with her hearing disabilities. She spoke to the technology she has used to be able to hear. She said the telephone is difficult or impossible the use without the technology to aid people with hearing disabilities. 3:46:39 PM PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director, Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, testified in support of SB 80. He stated the council had been an early supporter of the proposed bill and continues to support SB 80. 3:47:15 PM GARY MCDONALD testified in support of SB 80. 3:47:52 PM CHAIR KITO closed public testimony on SB 80 upon ascertaining that no one else was available to testify. 3:48:05 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL moved to report SB 80 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered.