Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears bill to expand use of Delaware telecommunications fund for deaf and hard‑of‑hearing supports
Summary
Senators on March 26 heard House Bill 53, which would broaden allowable uses of Delaware’s telecommunications fund to purchase modern assistive devices for deaf, hard‑of‑hearing, deaf‑blind and speech‑disabled residents, and would cap administrative spending at 15%.
The Senate Banking, Business, Insurance and Technology Committee on March 26 heard House Bill 53, sponsored by Representative Morrison and carried in the Senate by Senator Lachman, which would expand how the state’s telecommunications fund for deaf, hard‑of‑hearing and speech‑disabled residents may be used.
Senator Lachman told the committee the bill responds to advocacy that the existing fund—sourced from a small fee on phone bills—has accumulated an unused balance because current regulations restrict eligible purchases to a narrow set of (often outdated) devices. He said the bill would authorize purchases of modern assistive equipment such as visual alarm clocks, vibrating baby monitors, doorbells and smoke detectors…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
