This Fiscal Note is not an official copy and should not be quoted or cited.
Fiscal Note - SB 0525 - Expands Eligible Subscribers of Telecommunications Services
L.R. NO. 2131-01
BILL NO. Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed SB 525
SUBJECT: Public Service Commission: Telephone
TYPE: Original
DATE: May 14, 1996
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999
Deaf Relay Service
Fund ($2,799,072) $0 $0
Deaf Relay Service
and Equipment
Distribution
Program Fund $2,117,252 $271,985 $339,973
Total Estimated
Net Effect on All
State Funds* ($681,820) $271,985 $339,973
*Does not reflect any potential increase in the Deaf Relay Service and
Equipment Distribution Program Fund surcharge.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999
None
Total Estimated
Net Effect on All
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999
Local Government $0 $0 $0
FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
Officials of the Department of Revenue and the Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations' Employment Security assume that this proposal would
have no fiscal impact to their agencies.
Officials of the Department of Economic Development - Public Service
Commission (PSC) assumed that if this proposal were enacted as written that
implementation would increase Deaf Relay Service and Equipment Distribution
Fund expenditures.
PSC officials used information obtained from the Missouri Assistive
Technology Council and Project to estimate the following expenditures for
assistive equipment:
Year 1 $513,500
Year 2 $489,500
Year 3 $444,500
Year 4 $405,500
Year 5 $405,500
PSC officials assumed that the equipment would become the property of the
recipient and that the recipient would be responsible for all maintenance and
repair.
PSC officials also assumed that their agency would contract for the
distribution of the assistive equipment. Again, using information obtained
by the Missouri Assistive Technology Council and Project the PSC estimated
the administrative costs to be:
Year 1 $168,000
Year 2 $172,800
Year 3 $177,840
Year 4 $183,150
Year 5 $185,010
Therefore, estimated expenses for fiscal years 1997, 1998 and 1999 would be
the sum of the amount estimated for assistive equipment and administrative
costs for years 1, 2 and 3.
Officials of the PSC estimated the balance in the Deaf Relay Service Fund at
August 28, 1996, to be transferred to the Deaf Relay Service and Equipment
Distribution Program Fund at $1,892,000.
PSC officials assumed that as a result of this proposal their agency would
have the additional responsibility of monitoring the equipment distribution
contract. This would cause an increased workload. However, PSC officials
assumed the additional duties could be performed by existing FTE within
current appropriations.
PSC officials did not directly address costs associated with the
investigation required by this proposal to determine the most beneficial and
cost-effective method to implement a statewide telecommunications equipment
distribution program making available reasonable access to telephone service
for eligible subscribers who were unable to use traditional telephone
equipment due to disability; therefore, Oversight assumes any costs incurred
by PSC for the investigation could be absorbed with existing resources.
Oversight also assumes that there would be long term fiscal impact for costs
incurred in years four and five as assumed by the PSC.
PSC officials noted that it is currently unknown if implementation of the
proposed legislation would require an increase in the Deaf Relay Fund
surcharge from its current level of $.13 per access line.
PSC officials provided revenues in the Deaf Relay Service Fund of $2,998,848
in FY93; $4,185,593 in FY94; and $4,320,598 in FY95. PSC officials also
provided the on-going program costs being paid from the Deaf Relay Service
Fund of $2,743,918 in FY93; $3,268,288 in FY94; and $3,465,595 in FY95. For
purposes of this fiscal note, Oversight assumed a 3% increase annually in
revenues which would be deposited in the Deaf Relay Service and Equipment
Distribution Program Fund. Oversight also assumed a 3% increase in on-going
program costs annually.
Officials of the Office of Administration - Data Processing and
Telecommunications assume that this proposal would have no fiscal impact to
the state unless the surcharge were to be increased.
Because, according to PSC officials, there has been a history of an
unencumbered balance to the Deaf Relay Services Fund, Oversight assumed for
purposes of this fiscal note that there would be no increase in the surcharge
as a direct result of this proposal.
FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999
(10 Mo.)
DEAF RELAY SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT
DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FUND
Income-Public Service Commission
Transfer from Deaf Relay Service Fund
(unencumbered balance as of 8/28/96) $1,892,000 $0 $0
Surcharge fees 4,583,722 4,721,234 4,862,871
Income-Public Service Commission $6,475,722 $4,721,234 $4,862,871
Cost-Public Service Commission (PSC)
On-going program costs ($3,676,650) ($3,786,949) ($3,900,558)
Contracted equipment and distribution
cost (513,500) (489,500) (444,500)
Contracted program administrative cost (168,000) (172,800) (177,840)
Total Cost-PSC ($4,358,150) ($4,449,249) ($4,522,898)
ESTIMATED PARTIAL NET EFFECT ON
DEAF RELAY SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT
DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FUND *$2,117,572 *$271,985 * 339,973
*Does not reflect any potential increase in the Deaf Relay Service and
Equipment Distribution Program Fund surcharge.
DEAF RELAY SERVICE FUND
Savings-Public Service Commission
On-going program costs $3,676,650 $0 $0
Loss-Public Service Commission
Transfer of unencumbered balance
to Deaf Relay Service Equipment Distribution
Program Fund ($1,892,000) $0 $0
Surcharge fees (4,583,722) 0 0
Total Loss-Public Service Commission ($6,475,722) 0 0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT TO
DEAF RELAY SERVICE FUND ($2,799,072) $0 $0
FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999
(10 Mo.)
$0 $0 $0
DESCRIPTION
This proposal would expand eligible subscribers of telecommunications
services for the disabled to include any individual certified by certain
licensed professionals, including speech pathologists, as deaf,
hearing-impaired, speech impaired or as having another disability that would
make such a person unable to use traditional telephone equipment and
services.
This proposal would require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to determine
by February 28, 1997, how best to implement a statewide telecommunications
equipment distribution program and to establish a surcharge sufficient to
fund the program. The surcharge would be applied to each basic telephone
access line in the state. Local exchange telephone companies would be
permitted to retain a portion of the surcharge, as determined by the PSC, to
recover the cost of administering the surcharge.
Telecommunications companies would be required to ensure that high quality
existing and new telecommunications services were available, accessible and
usable by individuals with disabilities, unless making those services
available would result in an undue burden or would have an adverse
competitive effect.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other
program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental
space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Economic Development - Public Service Commission
Department of Economic Development - Public Counsel
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations - Employment Security
Department of Revenue
Office of Administration - Division of Data Processing and Telecommunications