1999 Minnesota Statutes

     237.53 Communication device. 

    Subdivision 1.    Application.  A person applying for a 
 communication device under this section must apply to the 
 program administrator on a form prescribed by the department of 
 human services.  

    Subd. 2.    Eligibility.  To be eligible to obtain a 
 communication device under this section, a person must be: 

    (1) able to benefit from and use the equipment for its 
 intended purpose; 

    (2) communication impaired; 

    (3) a resident of the state; 

    (4) a resident in a household that has a median income at 
 or below the applicable median household income in the state, 
 except a deaf and blind person applying for a telebraille unit 
 may reside in a household that has a median income no more than 
 150 percent of the applicable median household income in the 
 state; and 

    (5) a resident in a household that has telephone service or 
 that has made application for service and has been assigned a 
 telephone number; or a resident in a residential care facility, 
 such as a nursing home or group home where telephone service is 
 not included as part of overall service provision. 

    Subd. 3.    Distribution.  The commissioner of human 
 services shall purchase and distribute a sufficient number of 
 communication devices so that each eligible household receives 
 an appropriate device.  The commissioner of human services shall 
 distribute the devices to eligible households in each service 
 area free of charge as determined under section 237.51, 
 subdivision 5a. 

    Subd. 4.    Training; maintenance.  The commissioner of 
 human services shall maintain the communication devices until 
 the warranty period expires, and provide training, without 
 charge, to first-time users of the devices. 

    Subd. 5.    Wiring installation.  If a 
 communication-impaired person is not served by telephone service 
 and is subject to economic hardship as determined by the 
 department of human services, the telephone company providing 
 local service shall at the direction of the administrator of the 
 program install necessary outside wiring without charge to the 
 household. 

    Subd. 6.    Ownership.  All communication devices 
 purchased pursuant to subdivision 3 will become the property of 
 the state of Minnesota. 

    Subd. 7.    Standards.  The communication devices 
 distributed under this section must comply with the electronic 
 industries association standards and approved by the Federal 
 Communications Commission.  The commissioner of human services 
 must provide each eligible person a choice of several models of 
 devices, the retail value of which may not exceed $600 for a 
 communication device for the deaf, and a retail value of $7,000 
 for a telebraille device, or an amount authorized by the 
 department of human services for a telephone device for the deaf 
 with auxiliary equipment. 

    Subd. 8. Repealed, 1988 c 621 s 19 

    HIST: 1987 c 308 s 4,8; 1988 c 621 s 5-8; 1993 c 272 s 17; 
 1995 c 190 s 8-11; 1995 c 201 s 2