In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Board” means the Governor’s Advisory Board for Telecommunications Relay established in Subtitle 8 of this title. “Department” means the Department of Disabilities. “Program” means the program administered by the Department in consultation with the Board to provide financial assistance for the purchase of specialized customer telephone equipment by eligible program participants. “Program participant” means a person who: is a resident of the State; is certified by a licensed professional as having a disability which seriously limits or prohibits the use of the telephone or wireless network without specialized customer telephone equipment; is certified by a licensed professional as being able to use specialized customer telephone equipment for which application is made; meets the financial eligibility requirements established by the Department as a recipient of: Transitional Emergency Medical and Housing Assistance (TEMHA); Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Social Security Disability Income (SSDI); or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and at the time of application is not receiving similar services which are available and can be provided in a timely manner through another program. “Qualified entity” means a nonprofit organization that: produces audio editions of daily newspapers, available for interstate distribution using high–speed computer and telecommunications technology; and provides a means of program administration and reader registration on the Internet. “Specialized customer telephone equipment” or “equipment” means any communications device designed to assist program participants in using a telephone or wireless service provider’s network. “System” means the method which the Department shall use to provide equipment to eligible program participants.

In accordance with the State budget and § 7–806 of this title, the Department, in consultation with the Board, shall establish and administer a program: to provide specialized customer telephone equipment to eligible program participants; and to provide reimbursement of costs under § 7–906 of this subtitle. In this subsection, “shopping facility” means an outdoor or indoor retail facility with a common pedestrian area housing more than five sales or rental establishments in which a majority of the tenants have a main entrance from the common pedestrian area. This subsection applies to a shopping facility that: provides a total number of four or more public pay telephones at the facility of which at least one is located in the common pedestrian area; and is larger than 500,000 square feet. In accordance with the standards and regulations established by the Department, the owner, operator, manager, or other person having control of a shopping facility shall acquire and install at least one specialized communications device designed to enable customers with hearing or speech disabilities to access a telephone or wireless service providers network.

The Department, in consultation with the Board, shall: provide a system for eligible program participants to obtain equipment, but no single eligible participant shall receive more than $6,000; provide a system for eligible program participants who cannot access telecommunications relay services in a traditional manner to obtain communication facilitators or related support services; establish an information and referral service, including the toll–free numbers for the various access modes for the Maryland relay service and provide information about the availability of the equipment; contract with private vendors or nonprofit organizations to provide the information and referral service and other auxiliary services; as necessary, establish interagency agreements with other State agencies that provide technical assistance for disabled individuals to prevent duplicative programs; and appoint appropriate staff to assist the Board in carrying out its activities under this subtitle. The Board and the Department shall: develop regulations; develop and implement educational outreach programs; and review and monitor the program.

This subtitle may not be construed to establish an entitlement program.

The Department in consultation with the Board shall adopt regulations to carry out the purposes of this subtitle.

The Department in consultation with the Board shall enter into an agreement with the State Library Board, providing for an annual payment to be made to the State Library Agency in an amount equal to the cost incurred for the distribution of newspapers in a computerized audio format. Under the agreement, the State Library Agency shall provide eligible blind and disabled individuals with access to newspapers in a computerized audio format by a qualified entity.