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 Fiscal Policy
BILL: CS/CS/SB 344
INTRODUCER: Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government;
Regulated Industries Committee and Senators Rodriguez and Berman
SUBJECT: Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991
DATE: April 1, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Schrader Imhof RI Fav/CS
2. Sanders Betta AEG Fav/CS
3. Schrader Siples FP Pre-meeting
Please see Section IX. for Additional Information:
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE - Substantial Changes
I. Summary:
CS/CS/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;
• Defines certain terms;
• Freezes the existing surcharge until the administrator’s reserve fund is diminished; and
• Decreases the maximum permitted surcharge from $.25 to $.15.
The bill does not impact state revenues or expenditures; however, it may have a slight impact on
the private sector. See Section V. Fiscal Impact Statement.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2025.
REVISED: BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 2
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
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 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 [to] 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.
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 March 11, 2025).
3
Florida Public Service Commission, About the PSC, https://www.psc.state.fl.us/about (last visited March 11, 2025).
4
Ch. 2011-36, Laws of Florida.
5
Florida Public Service Commission, About the PSC, supra note 3.
6
Section 427.702, F.S. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 3
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 an 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;
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
The 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
9
: 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.
10
7
In re: Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, Docket No. 19910496-TP, Order No. 24462 (F.P.S.C. May 1, 1991).
8
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc., Florida Relay, https://www.ftri.org/relay (last visited March 11, 2025).
9
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is a 7-bit character code where each individual bit represents
a unique character. ASCII codes are used to assist with text-based communication and computing to ensure compatibility
and consistency across different systems and applications. ASCII Table, ASCII – Code.com, https://www.ascii-code.com/
(last visited March 11, 2025).
10
Hamilton Relay, CapTel (Captioned Telephone), https://hamiltonrelay.com/how-it-works/captel-captioned-telephone.html
(last visited March 11, 2025). BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 4
• 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.
11
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.
• 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.
12
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.
13
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.
14
This surcharge is
11
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc., Florida Relay, supra note 8.
12
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 (last visited March 11, 2025).
13
Id.
14
Section 427.704(4)(a). BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 5
capped at $0.25 per month, per access line, up to a total of 25 total access lines per customer.
15
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.
16
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.”
17
Technology Changes
In its 2024 report, the PSC stated the telecommunications market and technologies have changed
significantly since TASA was passed in 1991. In 2001, switched access lines
18
numbered 12,030,592 in Florida.
19
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.
20
The first
voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) was not released until 1995
21
—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 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.
15
Section 427.704(4)(a)-(b).
16
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 9.
17
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 11.
18
“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 (last visited
March 11, 2025). A reduction in these lines would indicate a reduction in landline subscribers.
19
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 (last visited March 11, 2025).
20
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 11-
12.
21
Jeremy Norman’s History of Information, VocalTec Releases "Internet Phone," the First Internet VoIP Application,
https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=1111 (last visited March 11, 2025). BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 6
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.
22
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:
23
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.”
24
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.
25
TASA Advisory Committee Eligibility
The PSC also recommends 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.”
22
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).
23
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 8.
24
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 6.
25
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 11. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 7
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
Section 1 amends s. 427.702, F.S., 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 profound
disabilities that render normal telephone equipment useless without specialized
communications devices, which may cost several hundred dollars.
• 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: “[T]hat the telecommunications
access system should provide access to specialized communications technology capable of using
existing or future devices or equipment necessary for persons with hearing loss or speech
impairment or who are deafblind to access telecommunications services.”
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 the Telecommunications
Access System Act of 1991 (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 of “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.
26
• Adds a definition of “communications service” to mean service provided to subscribers
through wireline telecommunications equipment, interconnected voice-over-internet protocol
(VoIP), or CMRS.
26
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. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 8
• Adds a definition of “deaf service center” to mean a center that serves, within a defined
region, individuals with hearing loss or speech impairment or who are deafblind, by
distributing equipment and providing services on behalf of the administrator.
• Adds a definition of “deaf service center director” to mean an individual who serves as the
director for a deaf service center and is responsible for ensuring that individuals with hearing
loss or speech impairment or who are deafblind are qualified to receive equipment or services
in accordance with ss. 427.701 through 427.708, F.S., based on their impairment by attesting
to such impairment as provided for in the procedures developed by the administrator.
• 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.
27
• Adds a definition of “regional distribution center” to mean an entity, including, but not
limited to, a deaf service center or a provider of audiology services, which has contracted
with the administrator to distribute equipment and provide services to qualified individuals
with hearing loss or speech impairment or who are deafblind.
• Adds a definition of “regional distribution center director” to mean an individual qualified by
the administrator who serves as the director for a regional distribution center and meets the
standards for ensuring that individuals with hearing loss or speech impairment or who are
deafblind are qualified to receive equipment or services in accordance with ss. 427.701
through 427.708, F.S., based on their impairment by attesting to such impairment as provided
for in the procedures developed by the administrator.
• 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.
• 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 the Public Service Commission (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 pursuant to ss. 427.701 through 427.708, F.S., and rules and regulations
established by the PSC.
27
The term, however, does not include services that do not provide access to 911 service or private telecommunications
systems. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 9
• 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 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.
28
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.
29
The bill requires the PSC to determine the amount of the surcharge based upon the amount of
funding necessary to provide services on an ongoing basis; however, such surcharge may not
exceed $.15 per line per month. Furthermore, Section 3 provides that the PSC may not increase
the surcharge when excess funds are available.
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
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.
30
28
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 March 11, 2025).
29
These provisions do not apply to specialized telecommunications devices using standard telephone lines.
30
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. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 10
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
31
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 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.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
31
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: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 11
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
The Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991 (TASA) is funded by a surcharge
that wireline telecommunications carriers are required to assess to their customers.
32
Currently, the surcharge on landlines in Florida is set at $0.08 per line per month, with a
statutory cap of $0.25 per line per month, with a maximum of 25 lines charged per
customer account per month.
33
The bill reduces the maximum allowable monthly
surcharge from $.25 per line, per month to $.15 per line, per month.
The TASA may experience increased expenses due to the authority to purchase
specialized communications equipment; however, such expenses are not expected to
increase significantly due to the income eligibility requirements of Section 3 of the bill.
In the event the TASA experiences a significant increase in expenses due to the
specialized communications technology, and such increase exceeds the current budget
authority for the Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI), the FTRI may seek a
surcharge increase from the Public Service Commission through its annual budget
proposal. Any increase in the surcharge may cause a slight increase in landline
customers’ bills.
C. Government Sector Impact:
None.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
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.
32
Wireless, VoIP and broadband service providers are not required to assess the surcharge. Public Service Commission,
Senate Bill 344 Agency Bill Analysis (Feb. 24, 2025) (on file with the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture,
Environment and General Government).
33
Florida Public Service Commission, Status of the Telecommunications Access System Act of 1991, supra note 12, pg. 9. BILL: CS/CS/SB 344 Page 12
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Substantial Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
CS/CS by Agriculture, Environment, and General Government on March 18, 2025
The committee substitute:
• Defines “deaf service center,” “deaf service center director,” “regional distribution
center,” and “regional distribution center director”;
• Freezes the existing surcharge until the administrator’s reserve fund is diminished;
• Decreases the maximum permitted surcharge from $.25 to $.15; and
• Provides the Public Service Commission (PSC) may not increase the surcharge when
excess funds are available.
CS by Regulated Industries on February 18, 2025:
The committee substitute:
• Corrects an erroneous statement of application, revising a new provision from
applying to the entirety of s. 427.704 (as was in the bill as filed), to only applying to
the new s. 427.704(1)(e), F.S., added by the bill, as intended;
• Reinserts the term “basic” to the term “basic telecommunications system” as used in a
provision dealing with a surcharge to fund the Telecommunications Access System
Act of 1991 (TASA). This amendment is intended to clarify that the revisions to this
provision do not intend to increase the scope of the surcharge beyond that currently in
law; and
• Removes a redundant section 6 of the bill.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.