Louisiana House Bill HB582

Louisiana 2017 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/31/17
• Refer: 3/31/17
• Refer: 4/10/17
• Report Pass: 5/15/17
• Engrossed: 5/24/17
• Refer: 5/30/17
• Report Pass: 6/1/17
• Enrolled: 6/7/17
• Chaptered: 6/16/17
• Passed: 6/16/17

Caption

Provides relative to the telecommunications tax for the deaf (EN +$4,700,000 SD RV See Note)

Impact

The legislation is intended to secure and regulate funds collected through the telecommunications tax, ensuring that revenues are allocated appropriately to a newly established fund - the Telecommunications for the Deaf Fund. This fund will specifically be utilized for resources such as captioning and American sign language services, which are crucial for providing accessibility to deaf individuals. Additionally, it establishes clearer expectations for the tax remittance process, which reinforces the financial framework supporting deaf services across the state.

Summary

House Bill 582 aims to amend the telecommunications tax specifically for services benefiting deaf individuals in Louisiana. The bill modifies the existing tax structure by lowering the tax rate from five cents to four and a half cents per month per line and telephone number applicable to both residential and business customers. This aims to ensure continued funding for essential services designed to support the deaf and hard of hearing communities.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment surrounding HB582 appears to be supportive, especially among advocates for the deaf community. There is a recognition of the importance of supporting accessibility services; however, some concerns were voiced regarding the adequacy of the funding generated by the lower tax rate to effectively meet the growing needs of the community. Advocacy groups emphasized the necessity of ensuring that the funds collected were sufficient for the programs intended to aid those with hearing impairments.

Contention

During discussions about the bill, a notable point of contention was around the potential implications of decreasing the tax rate. Critics questioned whether the new lowered rate would sufficiently cover the costs of the expanded services that the fund is expected to support. Additionally, there were debates regarding the accountability measures in place to ensure that the funds are used solely for the designated purposes of enhancing accessibility services for the deaf community, ensuring transparency in the utilization of state resources.