Ch. 101

1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(d)     (1) The Secretary of the Department of General Services shall annually
certify to the Public Service Commission the costs of the [ program] PROGRAMS UNDER
§ 4-1103(A) §§ 4-1003 AND 4-1103(A) OF THIS TITLE to be paid by the Universal Service
Trust Fund.

(2) The Public Service Commission shall determine the surcharge necessary
to fund the [ program] PROGRAMS UNDER § 4-1103(A) §§ 4-1003 AND 4-1103(A) OF THIS
TITLE and shall, on 60 days' notice, direct the affected telephone companies to add the
surcharge to all current bills rendered for switched local exchange access service in the
State.

(e)     The affected telephone companies shall act as collection agents for the
Universal Service Trust Fund and shall remit all proceeds monthly to the Comptroller for
deposit to the Universal Service Trust Fund. The telephone companies shall be entitled to
credit against these proceeds an amount equal to 1 1/2 percent of these proceeds to cover
the expenses of billing, collecting, and remitting the surcharge and any additional charges.

(f)     The Secretary of General Services shall administer the Universal Service Trust
Fund subject to the provisions for financial management and budgeting established by the
Department of Budget and Fiscal Planning. The income derived from investment of
money in the Fund shall accrue to the Fund.

(g)     The Legislative Auditor shall conduct postaudits of a fiscal and compliance
nature of the Universal Service Trust Fund and of the expenditures made for purposes of
[this subtitle] § 4-1103(A) §§ 4-1003 AND 4-1103(A) OF THIS TITLE. The cost of the fiscal
portion of the postaudit examination shall be paid from the Universal Service Trust Fund
as an administrative cost.

4-1101.

(a)     In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b)     "Board" means the Governor's Advisory Board for Telecommunications Relay
as defined under § 4-1004 of this article.

(c)     "Department" means the Department of General Services.

(d)     "Program" means the program developed and administered by the
Department in consultation with the Board and the Governor's Office for
[Handicapped] Individuals WITH DISABILITIES to provide financial assistance for the
purchase of specialized customer premises equipment (SCPE) by eligible program
participants.

(e)     "Program participant" means a person who:

(1)     is a resident of the State;

(2)     is certified by a licensed professional as having a disability which
seriously limits or prohibits the use of the basic telephone network without specialized
customer premises equipment;

(3)     is certified by a licensed professional as being able to use specialized
customer premises equipment for which application is made;

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