[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 108 (Monday, June 6, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36181-36182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13221]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 64

[CG Docket No. 10-210; FCC 16-69]


Relay Services for Deaf Blind Individuals

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) extends the National Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution 
Program (NDBEDP) as a pilot program for one additional year. The NDBEDP 
provides up to $10 million annually to support programs that distribute 
communications equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. 
Extending the pilot program enables the NDBEDP to continue providing 
communications equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind 
without interruption while the Commission considers whether to adopt 
rules to govern a permanent NDBEDP.

DATES: Effective July 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosaline Crawford, Disability Rights 
Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at phone: (202) 418-
2075 or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order 
(Order), Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility 
Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals, CG 
Docket No. 10-210, FCC 16-69, adopted on May 26, 2016, and released on 
May 27, 2016. The full text of this document will be available for 
public inspection and copying via ECFS, and during regular business 
hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th 
Street SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The full text of this 
document can also be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format 
(PDF) at: https://www.fcc.gov/general/disability-rights-office-headlines. To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).

Final Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis

    This Order does not contain new or modified information collection 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
Public Law 104-13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any new 
or modified information collection burden for small business concerns 
with fewer than 25 employees, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork 
Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).

Synopsis

    1. In this Order, the Commission extends the National Deaf-Blind 
Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), as a pilot program, for one 
additional year, until June 30, 2017. The NDBEDP provides up to $10 
million annually to support programs that distribute communications 
equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. The NDBEDP has 
operated as a pilot program since July 2012 and is currently set to 
expire on June 30, 2016. Extending the pilot program for an additional 
year will enable the NDBEDP to continue providing communications 
equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind without 
interruption while the Commission completes the proceeding that is 
underway to adopt rules to govern a permanent NDBEDP.
    2. The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility 
Act of 2010 (CVAA), 47 U.S.C. 620, directed the Commission to establish 
rules to provide up to $10 million annually from the Interstate 
Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund) to support programs 
that distribute communications equipment to low-income individuals who 
are deaf-blind. In accordance with this directive, the Commission 
established the NDBEDP as a two-year pilot program, with an option to 
extend this program for an additional year. The Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB or Bureau) launched the

[[Page 36182]]

NDBEDP as a pilot program on July 1, 2012. Twenty-First Century 
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay 
Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals, Report and Order, published at 76 
FR 26641, May 9, 2011. To implement the program, the Bureau certified 
53 entities to participate in the NDBEDP--one entity to distribute 
communications equipment in each state, plus the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands--and selected a national 
outreach coordinator to support the outreach and distribution efforts 
of these state programs. On February 7, 2014, the Bureau extended the 
pilot program for a third year, until June 30, 2015. Twenty-First 
Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 
105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals, Order (CGB 2015). On 
May 27, 2015, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
to obtain additional input from the public on how best to design and 
administer a permanent NDBEDP. Twenty-First Century Communications and 
Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-
Blind Individuals, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published at 80 FR 
32885, June 10, 2015. In addition, the Commission simultaneously issued 
an Order that extended the pilot program for an additional year, until 
June 30, 2016. Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind 
Individuals, Order, published at 80 FR 32857, June 10, 2015.
    3. To ensure the uninterrupted administration of the NDBEDP until 
the conclusion of the rulemaking proceeding and the establishment of a 
permanent program for the delivery of communications equipment to low-
income individuals who are deaf-blind, the Commission extends the 
existing NDBEDP pilot program rules for one additional year, until June 
30, 2017. The Commission adopts this extension because it anticipates 
that this rulemaking proceeding and the implementation of new rules 
that may result will not be completed by June 30, 2016, when the rules 
governing the NDBEDP pilot program are scheduled to expire.
    4. Many individuals who have received equipment and training under 
the NDBEDP have reported that this program has vastly improved their 
daily lives, significantly enhancing their ability to live 
independently and expanding their educational and employment 
opportunities. Extending the pilot program will serve the public 
interest because it will allow a seamless transition between the pilot 
and permanent programs. This extension will also provide greater 
programmatic certainty and stability to entities that are currently 
certified to participate in the NDBEDP in each of the 50 states plus 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
    5. Federal Rules Which Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With, the 
Commission's Proposals. None.
    6. The Commission will send a copy of the Order, including a copy 
of the Final Regulatory Flexibility Certification, to the Chief Counsel 
for Advocacy of the SBA.

Congressional Review Act

    7. The Commission will not send a copy of the Order pursuant to the 
Congressional Review Act, because the Commission adopted no rules 
therein. See 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). Rather than adopting rules, the 
Commission exercised its statutory authority to extend the NDBEDP as a 
pilot program by this Order for one additional year.

Ordering Clause

    8. Pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 
and 719 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 
154(i), 154(j), 620, the Order is adopted.

Federal Communications Commission.
Gloria J. Miles,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-13221 Filed 6-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P