The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Regulated Industries
BILL: SB 344
INTRODUCER: Senator Rodriguez
SUBJECT: Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991
DATE: February 17, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Schrader Imhof RI Pre-meeting
2. AEG
3. FP
I. Summary:
SB 344 revises Florida’s Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991 (TASA), which
provides for services to enable individuals with hearing or speech disabilities to connect them to
standard (i.e. voice) telephone users. Specifically, the bill:
• Authorizes the use of advanced technologies beyond the landline telephone communications
system authorized in TASA.
• Allows for the adoption of new, emerging, and not yet contemplated communications
technologies as they come into the marketplace.
• Revises the membership of TASA’s advisory committee.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2025.
II. Present Situation:
Florida Public Service Commission
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) is an arm of the legislative branch of
government.
1
The role of the PSC is to ensure Florida’s consumers receive utility services,
including electric, natural gas, telephone, water, and wastewater, in a safe and reliable manner
and at fair prices.
2
In order to do so, the PSC exercises authority over utilities in one or more of
the following areas: rate base or economic regulation; competitive market oversight; and
monitoring of safety, reliability, and service issues.
3
1
Section 350.001, F.S.
2
See Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Public Service Commission Homepage, http://www.psc.state.fl.us (last
visited Feb. 13, 2025).
3
Florida Public Service Commission, About the PSC, https://www.psc.state.fl.us/about (last visited Feb. 13, 2025).
REVISED: BILL: SB 344 Page 2
Under ch. 364, F.S., telecommunications carriers in Florida are subject to only limited PSC
regulation. During the 2011 legislative session, the “Regulatory Reform Act” (act) was passed
and signed into law by the Governor, effective July 1, 2011.
4
Under the act, the Legislature
eliminated most of the PSC’s jurisdiction over telecommunications. However, the PSC still:
• Maintains the authority to ensure that incumbent local exchange carriers meet their obligation
to provide unbundled access, interconnection, and resale to competitive local exchange
companies in a nondiscriminatory manner;
• Administers the system to provide Telecommunications Relay Services pursuant to Florida’s
Telecommunications Access Systems Act of 1991 (TASA); and
• Oversees the Federal Lifeline Assistance program for Florida.
5
Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991
Sections 427.701 through 427.708, F.S., provide the statutory authorization for TASA. The
purpose of TASA is to create a system for Floridians who “are hearing impaired, speech
impaired, or dual sensory impaired have access to basic telecommunications services at a cost no
greater than that paid by other telecommunications services customers, and whereby the cost of
specialized telecommunications equipment necessary to ensure that citizens who are hearing
impaired, speech impaired, or dual sensory impaired have access to basic telecommunications
services.” The provision of this telecommunications relay service “is borne by all the
telecommunications customers of the state.”
6
Section 427.704(1), F.S., requires the PSC to oversee the administration of the statewide
telecommunications access system to provide access to telecommunications relay service (relay
service). The system purchases and distributes specialized telecommunication devices as
established by TASA. The telecommunications access system must also meet or exceed the
certification requirements of the Federal Communications Commission’s regulations
implementing Title IV of the Americans with Disability Act.
Section 427.704(2), F.S. also directs the PSC to designate an administrator of the relay service
which must be a not-for-profit corporation organized for such purposes. This subsection also
authorizes the PSC to order state telecommunications companies to form such a not-for-profit
corporation. Pursuant to this requirement and authorization, the PSC, in May 1991, directed
Florida’s local exchange telecommunications companies to form Florida Telecommunications
Relay, Inc. (FTRI) to administer the distribution of the specialized telecommunications
equipment and to provide outreach services.
7
As a part of the PSC’s oversight responsibilities for TASA, s. 427.704(9), F.S., requires the PSC
to file annual report on the system to be available on the PSC’s website. This report, prepared in
consultation with TASA’s administrator, FTRI, must, at a minimum:
• Briefly outline:
o The status of developments in the telecommunications access system;
4
Ch. 2011-36, Laws of Florida.
5
Florida Public Service Commission, About the PSC, supra note 3.
6
Section 427.702, F.S.
7
In re: Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, Docket No. 19910496-TP, Order No. 24462 (F.P.S.C. May 1, 1991). BILL: SB 344 Page 3
o The number of persons served, call volume, revenues, and expenditures; and
o The allocation of the revenues and expenditures between provision of specialized
telecommunications devices to individuals and operation of statewide relay service
• Other major policy or operational issues; and
• Proposals for improvements or changes to the telecommunications access system.”
Florida Telecommunications Relay
FTRI’s relay service—branded as “Florida Relay”—provides 24-hour, 365-day per year, services
to Florida residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind, and speech disabled to connect
them to standard (i.e. voice) telephone users. The relay services provided by Florida Relay
include the following:
8
• Text telephone (TTY) and ASCII: Persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or
speech-disabled use a TTY to type their conversation to a relay operator. This operator then
reads this conversation to the hearing person being called.
• Voice carry over (VCO): Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing use their voice to speak
directly to the hearing person being called. When the person being called speaks back, the
operator types out what is said on a TTY or text display.
• Speech to Speech (STS): This technology allows speech-disabled persons to voice their
conversation. Then, a specially trained relay operator repeats that speech-disabled person’s
dialogue for the called party to better hear or understand.
• Relay conference capturing: Service for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to engage in
a group conversation setting, in either a video conference or conference call.
• CapTel: CapTel is a captioned telephone device that displays what the called party says using
speech recognition software.
9
• Voice: Allows standard telephone users to initiate calls to TTY users. The operator types the
hearing person’s spoken words to the TTY user and then reads back the replies.
• Hearing Carry-Over (HCO): Persons who are hearing, but unable to speak directly into a
phone due to speech disabilities, can listen to the called party. Then, the HCO user types
back a response which is then relayed, via voice, by the relay operator to the called party,
who then can speak back.
• Video Assisted Speech to Speech (VA-STS): This technology allows persons with speech
disabilities to use both a telephone and video device to make relay calls.
• Enhanced Speech to Speech: Features provided through enhanced speech to speech include
the ability to set up call times, contacts, and faster call set up.
Florida Relay also provides services in Spanish.
10
Advisory Committee for TASA
Section 427.706, F.S., also directs the PSC to appoint an advisory committee of no more than 10
persons and include, to the extent practicable:
• Two deaf persons recommended by the Florida Association of the Deaf.
8
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc., Florida Relay, https://www.ftri.org/relay (last visited Feb 12, 2025).
9
Hamilton Relay, CapTel (Captioned Telephone), https://hamiltonrelay.com/how-it-works/captel-captioned-telephone.html
(last visited Feb 12, 2025).
10
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc., Florida Relay, supra note 8. BILL: SB 344 Page 4
• One hearing impaired person recommended by Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing.
• One deaf and blind person recommended by the Coalition for Persons with Dual Sensory
Disabilities.
• One speech impaired person recommended by the Florida Language Speech and Hearing
Association.
• Two representatives of telecommunications companies.
• One person with experience in providing relay services recommended by the Deaf Service
Center Association.
• One person recommended by the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
• One person recommended by the Florida League of Seniors.
This committee meets twice per year in formal meetings organized and conducted by PSC staff.
The most recent meetings were in June and October of 2024.
11
According to the PSC, not every
organization listed to appoint individuals to the advisory council is still active in Florida. There
are only three persons who have been appointed by the specified organizations.
12
Funding TASA Services
Section 427.704, F.S., requires the PSC to implement a surcharge on each basic
telecommunications access line (i.e. landline) to fund TASA services through FTRI. This
surcharge is imposed on all local exchange telecommunications company subscribers by their
local exchange telecommunications company as part of their regular bill.
13
This surcharge is
capped at $0.25 per month, per access line, up to a total of 25 total access lines per customer.
14
The amount, subject to these statutory limitations, is set by the PSC in order to fund FTRI’s
operations. For the year 2024-2025, the TASA surcharge per customer line is $0.08 per month.
15
Recommendations from the PSC’s TASA Annual Report
The PSC posted its most recent TASA annual report in December of 2024 (2024 Report). This
report made several recommendations regarding the TASA program. Specifically, the PSC states
that Florida Relay “is facing a number of challenges in terms of technological changes that
affects both the demand for equipment and the viability of the program’s long-term funding.”
Furthermore, the PSC “believes that modernization of TASA is needed for the program to meet
the evolving needs and preferences of consumers served by the program.”
16
11
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, pg. 10, Dec. 2024
(available at: https://www.floridapsc.com/pscfiles/website-
files/PDF/Publications/Reports/Telecommunication/TelecommunicationAccess/2024.pdf).
12
Id.
13
Section 427.704(4)(a).
14
Section 427.704(4)(a)-(b).
15
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 9.
16
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 11. BILL: SB 344 Page 5
Technology Changes
In its 2024 report, the PSC stated that the telecommunications market and technologies have
changed significantly since TASA was passed in 1991. In 2001, switched access lines
17
numbered 12,030,592 in Florida.
18
As of 2023, that number has dropped to 763,866—a decline
of approximately 94 percent—and this number is expected to continue to decline.
19
The first
voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) was not released until 1995
20
—four years after TASA
passed. Today, wireless and VoIP comprise the majority of the communications marketplace
connecting consumers to the public switched network—however neither of these technologies
were contemplated in TASA.
Section 427.702(3), F.S., does provide that the intent of the legislature is that the
telecommunications access system should have the “capability of incorporating new technologies
as they develop” and should use “state-of-the-art technology for specialized telecommunications
devices and the telecommunications relay service and encourages the incorporation of new
developments in technology.” However, the definitions used in TASA limit the technologies that
may be deployed. Specifically, as pointed out by the PSC, s. 427.703, F.S., defines:
• “Specialized telecommunications devices” as equipment that is specifically designed or used
to provide basic (emphasis added) access to telecommunications services; and
• “Telecommunications device for the deaf” or “TDD,” a mechanism which is connected to a
standard telephone line and used to transmit or receive signals through telephone lines.
The PSC has found that wireless and broadband technologies—which are the majority of the
telecommunications market as landlines become less prevalent—are not contemplated, and
therefore not supported, by TASA and would require a statutory change to integrate.
21
The PSC noted in its 2024 Report that participation in TASA services has continued to decline
over the last decade. The chart below, provided in the 2024 Report, shows the total equipment
distributed by FTRI each fiscal year from 2013 through 2023:
22
17
“Switched access lines” are how a traditional telephone (i.e. landline), connects to a local exchange carrier’s switch. See
Federal Communications Commission Office of Economics and Analysis, Voice Telephone Services: Status as of June 30,
2022, pg. 16 (available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-396138A1.pdf). A reduction in these lines would
indicate a reduction in landline subscribers.
18
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, pg. 10, Jun. 2002
(available at: https://www.floridapsc.com/pscfiles/website-
files/PDF/Publications/Reports/Telecommunication/TelecommunicationIndustry/2002.pdf).
19
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 11-
12.
20
History of Information, VocalTec Releases "Internet Phone," the First Internet VoIP Application,
https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=1111 (last accessed Feb. 13, 2025).
21
Id. at 11; and In re: Commission Approval of Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc.'s Fiscal Year 2020/2021 Proposed
Budget, Docket No. 20200073-TP, Order No. PSC-2020-0220-PAA-TP, pg. 6 (F.P.S.C. Jun. 29, 2020).
22
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 8. BILL: SB 344 Page 6
The PSC also notes that there has been an “eighty-seven percent decline in new clients
served and a seventy-seven percent decline in customer calls over the past ten years.”
23
Funding Challenges
As stated, s. 427.704, F.S., only assesses a surcharge on landline telecommunications to fund
TASA services. Wireless and VoIP are not required to contribute. Thus, as fewer customers use
landline telecommunications, potential revenue sources for TASA services will likely decline.
24
TASA Advisory Committee Eligibility
The PSC also recommends that eligibility for the TASA advisory committee be expanded
beyond that provided in s. 427.706, F.S., and provide for additional flexibility. The PSC notes
that “Not all of the identified organizations are currently active in Florida, while others have not
provided a volunteer for the Committee.”
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
Section 1 amends s. 427.702, F.S., of the bill to make significant revisions to the findings,
purpose, and legislative intent of the program. The bill deletes the following findings:
• Telecommunications services provide rapid and essential communication links between the
general public and essential services.
• All persons should have basic telecommunications services available to them at reasonable
and affordable costs.
• Significant portions of Florida’s hearing and speech impaired populations have disabilities
that render normal telephone equipment useless without specialized communications devices,
which may cost several hundred dollars.
23
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 6.
24
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 11, pg. 11. BILL: SB 344 Page 7
• The telecommunications system is intended to provide access to a basic communications
network between all persons, and hearing and speech impaired may have no access to the
basic telecommunications system.
• Persons with hearing or speech impairments are generally excluded from access to the basic
telecommunications system without special equipment.
• There is a need for a telecommunications relay system where the cost of access to the basic
telecommunications services for persons with hearing or speech impairment is no greater
than the amount paid by other telecommunications customers.
In addition, the bill adds legislative intent to the section stating that the telecommunications
access system should provide access to specialized communications technology capable of using
existing or future devices or equipment.
The bill also makes technical revisions to the section, including updating terminology
referencing persons with specific disabilities.
Section 2 amends s. 427.703, F.S., to revise the definitions relating to TASA. Specifically, the
bill makes technical revisions, including updating terminology referencing persons with specific
disabilities, and:
• Revises the definition of “administrator” to delete references to the relay service system and
the distribution of specialized telecommunications devices and provides that the
administrator is to administer the telecommunications access system.
• Adds a definition for “commercial mobile radio service” or “CMRS” to mean a mobile radio
communications service, provided for profit, which is interconnected to the public switched
network and is available to the public or to such classes of eligible users as to be effectively
available to a substantial portion of the public.
25
• Adds a definition of “communications service” to mean service provided to subscribers
through wireline telecommunications equipment, interconnected VoIP, or CMRS.
• Adds a definition for “interconnected voice over Internet protocol” or “interconnected VoIP”
to mean a service that:
o Enables subscribers to have real-time, two-way voice communications;
o Requires a broadband connection;
o Requires Internet compatible customer equipment; and
o Allows subscribers to receive calls from and place calls to the public switched telephone
network.
26
• Revises the definitions of “dual sensory impaired” person, “hearing impaired" person, and
“speech impaired’ person.
• Adds a definition for “specialized communications technology” to mean mobile devices,
tablet computers, software, or applications that can be used to provide communications
services to hearing impaired, speech impaired, or deafblind persons.
25
More commonly known as mobile or wireless telephone service. As provided in the bill, however, CMRS does not include
services that do not provide access to 911 service, communication channels suitable only for data transmission, wireless
roaming services or other nonlocal radio access line services, or private telecommunications systems.
26
The term, however, does not include services that do not provide access to 911 service or private telecommunications
systems. BILL: SB 344 Page 8
• Revises the definition of “specialized telecommunications device” to revise the equipment
contemplated under the definition. The revision removes a reference to specifically designed
(for persons with certain specified disabilities) customer premises telecommunications
equipment for basic access to telecommunications services and replaces it with equipment
that can be used to provide access to communications services for persons with specified
disabilities. Essentially, the revision removes the requirement that the equipment be at a
customer’s premises and that it be specifically designed for specified disabilities.
• Adds a definition for “telecommunications access system” to mean the system administered
pursuant to TASA, and PSC rules adopted to administer TASA, including the administration
of the telecommunications relay service system and the distribution of specialized
telecommunications devices and specialized communications technologies.
• Revises the definition of “telecommunications device for the deaf” or “TDD” to add “text
device,” removes a reference to “standard telephone line” (replacing it with communications
network) and provides that signals from such devices may also come through
communications service facilities other than just telephone lines.
• Revises the definition of “telecommunications relay service” to include the revised
definitions for sensory impaired persons.
Section 3 amends s. 427.704, F.S., to make technical revisions to the powers and duties of the
PSC, including updating terminology referencing persons with specific disabilities. The section
also provides that the telecommunications access system overseen by the PSC, as part of TASA,
may provide equipment and specialized communications technology in addition to providing
telecommunications relay services and distributing specialized telecommunication devices as
already authorized under TASA.
Relatedly, the PSC must set eligibility requirements for the distribution of this specialized
communications technology. These requirements must be based upon income qualifications or
participation in other state or federal programs based on income, which requirements must be set
at no less than double, but no more than triple, the federal poverty level.
27
These eligibility
requirements may not prohibit the administrator of TASA from providing access to specialized
communications technologies if such access has a de minimis value.
28
In addition, the bill deletes obsolete portions of s. 427.704, F.S., and makes conforming revisions
implementing the provisions specified above for this section.
Section 4 amends s. 427.705, F.S., to make technical revisions, including updating terminology
referencing persons with specific disabilities. The section also revises the duties of the
administrator to conform with the revisions in Section 3 of the bill allowing telecommunications
access systems to provide equipment and specialized communications technology in addition to
providing telecommunications relay services, and distribute specialized telecommunication
devices as already authorized under TASA. The bill also makes revisions to allow the
administrator to license such equipment. In addition, the section revises the persons that may
27
The federal poverty guidelines for 2025 are $15,650 for a single person household, for a two person household, it is
$21,150, for a three person household, it is $26,650, and for a four person household it is $32,150.
https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines (last visited Feb. 16, 2025).
28
These provisions do not apply to specialized telecommunications devices using standard telephone lines. BILL: SB 344 Page 9
provide statements attesting to hearing and speech impairment as part of the certification process
to receive TASA services, allowing regional distribution center directors to do so.
29
Section 5 amends s. 427.706, F.S., to revise the composition of the TASA advisory committee.
All of the specified composition of the committee from current statute
30
is repealed and replaced
with persons recommended by organizations representing the following groups (to the extent
practicable):
• The deaf;
• Persons with hearing loss;
• The deafblind;
• Persons with speech impairment;
• The elderly;
• Telecommunications relay service distribution centers; and
• Communications service providers.
In addition, the section makes technical and conforming revisions, including updating
terminology referencing persons with specific disabilities.
Section 6 amends s. 427.708, F.S., to make technical revisions.
Section 7 provides for an effective date of July 1, 2025.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
29
Under present law, only a licensed physician, audiologist, speech-language pathologist, hearing aid specialist, or deaf
service center director, a state-certified teacher of the hearing impaired, a state-certified teacher of the visually impaired, or
an appropriate state or federal agency may do so.
30
Current statute specifies the following persons: 1) two deaf persons recommended by the Florida Association of the Deaf;
2) one hearing impaired person recommended by Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing, 3) one deaf and blind person
recommended by the Coalition for Persons with Dual Sensory Disabilities, 4) one speech impaired person recommended by
the Florida Language Speech and Hearing Association, 5) two representatives of telecommunications companies, 6) one
person with experience in providing relay services recommended by the Deaf Service Center Association, 7) one person
recommended by the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc., and 8) one person recommended by the Florida
League of Seniors. BILL: SB 344 Page 10
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
If the technological revisions to TASA made by this bill increase participation in TASA
programs, it is likely that there will be an upward pressure on the budget approved by the
PSC for FTRI. Currently, the surcharge on landlines in Florida is set at $0.08 per line,
with a statutory cap of $0.25 per line per month, with a maximum of 25 lines charged per
customer account per month. With increased participation in the TASA program, the PSC
may need to raise this surcharge on customer bills. Thus, landline customers in Florida
may see a slight increase in their bills.
C. Government Sector Impact:
None.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
Lines 260-261 of the bill specify that this section (s. 427.704, F.S.,) “does not apply to
specialized telecommunications devices using standard telephone lines.” However, given the
placement and context of this provision, it appears that the provision was only intended to apply
to the paragraph (1)(e) of the section. This may need revision.
Section 3 of the bill removes “basic” from the term “basic telecommunications system” for s.
427.404, F.S. This appears to be a technical/conforming change for s. 427.704, F.S. However,
making this change on lines 297 and 303 of the bill—the portions dealing with the surcharge to
fund TASA collected from landline account bills—could be construed (based on previous
decisions made by the PSC and the 2024 Report) as the legislature intended to expand this
surcharge to other types of telecommunications accounts. While this does not appear to be the
intention of the bill, it may be advisable to leave the term “basic” on these lines to make this
intention clear.
Section 6 of the bill appears to make a technical revision to add “telecommunications device for
the deaf,” with an existing reference to TDD. This is likely unnecessary as “telecommunications
device for the deaf” and “TDD” share the same definition for TASA as provided in s. 427.703,
F.S. BILL: SB 344 Page 11
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 427.702, 427.703,
427.704, 427.705, 427.706, and 427.708.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.