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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1637
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR LEWIS.
6315S.02I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 209, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to communication access
services.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 209, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 209.247, to read as 2
follows:3
209.247. 1. As used in this section, the following 1
terms mean: 2
(1) "Commission", the Missouri commission for the deaf 3
and hard of hearing; 4
(2) "Communication access services", shall include, 5
but not be limited to, the following: 6
(a) Qualified interpreters, as described in section 7
209.285; 8
(b) Communication access realtime translation services; 9
(c) Notetakers, visual or Braille boards, and visual 10
video services; 11
(d) Open and closed captioning services; 12
(e) Environmental access support for the deaf-blind 13
and those with low vision; and 14
(f) Any other effective method of making aurally 15
delivered and printed information available to individuals 16
who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing; 17
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(3) "Communication access service provider", an 18
individual who is trained to offer a communication access 19
service to communicate aurally delivered and printed 20
information to individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard 21
of hearing. 22
2. The commission shall establish a statewide 23
communication access services program to improve compliance 24
with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act for 25
agencies and businesses by coordinating resources, filling 26
service gaps, and assisting with costs related to 27
accommodations. The commission shall: 28
(1) Develop and maintain a statewide registry of 29
communication access service providers, organized by region, 30
including rural and urban areas; 31
(2) Create a process for communication access service 32
providers to apply for placement on the registry; 33
(3) Establish minimum standards for training, 34
equipment, and technology; 35
(4) Maintain an informational website accessible by 36
businesses, agencies, and individuals who are deaf, deaf- 37
blind, or hard of hearing regarding resources and available 38
programming; 39
(5) Provide consultation, training, and technical 40
assistance to aid state and local agencies to be in 41
compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act; 42
(6) Provide information regarding available resources 43
to assist with compliance costs and to support potential 44
communication access service providers in underserved areas; 45
(7) Conduct outreach activities for urban or rural 46
residents and communication access service providers to 47
expand awareness and capacity in underserved areas; 48
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(8) Subject to appropriation, administer scholarships 49
for professional development, internships, and certification 50
testing; 51
(9) Subject to appropriation and pursuant to rules 52
promulgated under this section, administer and finance 53
requests for communication access services between agencies 54
and businesses and individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or 55
hard of hearing; 56
(10) Hire a program manager to serve at the pleasure 57
of the director of the commission. The program manager 58
shall have a background and experience in communication 59
access services. The salary for the program manager shall 60
be paid out of the fund established in subsection 3 of this 61
section; and 62
(11) Submit an annual report to the governor and the 63
general assembly that includes information on communication 64
access service utilization, registry effectiveness, funding 65
outcomes, and recommendations for improvement. 66
3. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury 67
the "Communication Access Services Fund", which shall 68
consist of moneys appropriated to the fund and any gifts, 69
donations, grants, and bequests from individuals, private 70
organizations, foundations, or other sources for the purpose 71
of administering the program established in this section. 72
The state treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund. In 73
accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state 74
treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a 75
dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund 76
shall be used by the commission for the salary of the 77
program manager, distribution of financial assistance for 78
communication access services, and distribution of 79
scholarships under this section. 80
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(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 81
to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end 82
of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the 83
general revenue fund. 84
(3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the 85
fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any 86
interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be 87
credited to the fund. 88
4. The commission shall promulgate rules to implement 89
the provisions of this section, including the process for 90
distributing scholarships under subdivision (8) of 91
subsection 2 of this section and determining eligibility for 92
financial assistance under subdivision (9) of subsection 2 93
of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that 94
term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under 95
the authority delegated in this section shall become 96
effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of 97
the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 98
536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and 99
if any of the powers vested with the general assembly 100
pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective 101
date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently 102
held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking 103
authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 104
2026, shall be invalid and void. 105
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