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Senate panel advances bill to move deaf, hard-of-hearing services into enterprise to stabilize funding
Summary
The Business, Labor and Technology Committee voted 4-3 to send House Bill 11‑54 to Appropriations after sponsors and advocates said the measure would consolidate revenue and protect communication services for deaf, hard‑of‑hearing and deaf‑blind Coloradans.
House Bill 11‑54, which would move the state’s disabled telephone users fee-funded programs into an enterprise to stabilize funding for services to people who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf‑blind, advanced out of the Colorado Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee on a 4–3 vote.
Sponsors and advocates told the committee the change would keep “lifeline” programs running — including telephone relay service, a rural communication access program that helps provide interpreters, and specialized supports for people who are deaf‑blind — even when the cash fund fluctuates.
The bill’s sponsors said the fee will continue to be collected by the Public Utilities Commission and that the measure does…
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