Subd. 1. Application.

A person applying for a communication device under this section must apply to the program administrator on a form prescribed by the department of human services.

Subd. 2. Eligibility.

To be eligible to obtain a communication device under this section, a person must be:

1. (1) able to benefit from and use the equipment for its intended purpose;
2. (2) communication impaired;
3. (3) a resident of the state;
4. (4) a resident in a household that has a median income at or below the applicable median household income in the state, except a deaf and blind person applying for a telebraille unit may reside in a household that has a median income no more than 150 percent of the applicable median household income in the state; and
5. (5) a resident in a household that has telephone service or that has made application for service and has been assigned a telephone number; or a resident in a residential care facility, such as a nursing home or group home where telephone service is not included as part of overall service provision.

Subd. 3. Distribution.

The commissioner of human services shall purchase and distribute a sufficient number of communication devices so that each eligible household receives an appropriate device. The commissioner of human services shall distribute the devices to eligible households in each service area free of charge as determined under section 237.51, subdivision 5a.

Subd. 4. Training; maintenance.

The commissioner of human services shall maintain the communication devices until the warranty period expires, and provide training, without charge, to first-time users of the devices.

Subd. 5. Wiring installation.

If a communication-impaired person is not served by telephone service and is subject to economic hardship as determined by the department of human services, the telephone company providing local service shall at the direction of the administrator of the program install necessary outside wiring without charge to the household.

Subd. 6. Ownership.

All communication devices purchased pursuant to subdivision 3 will become the property of the state of Minnesota.

Subd. 7. Standards.

The communication devices distributed under this section must comply with the electronic industries association standards and approved by the Federal Communications Commission. The commissioner of human services must provide each eligible person a choice of several models of devices, the retail value of which may not exceed $600 for a communication device for the deaf, and a retail value of $7,000 for a telebraille device, or an amount authorized by the department of human services for a telephone device for the deaf with auxiliary equipment.

Subd. 8.

Repealed, 1988 c 621 s 19