53-19-307. Provision of services. (1) In administering the program established in 53-19-306 for individuals, the committee shall:
     (a) develop an appropriate means test to determine eligibility for specialized telecommunications equipment based on family income of less than 250% of the federal poverty level;
     (b) require that the person with a disability be a resident of Montana and that residency be maintained as a condition of eligibility for specialized telecommunications equipment;
     (c) require persons with disabilities to provide satisfactory evidence that they have disabilities and would benefit from the use of specialized telecommunications equipment;
     (d) provide specialized telecommunications equipment to participants through loan, lease, cost-sharing, or other methods that are determined appropriate by the committee;
     (e) determine the type of specialized telecommunications equipment that it considers necessary and economically feasible for use by Montana's persons with disabilities;
     (f) purchase or lease all specialized telecommunications equipment through bid by wholesale manufacturers on a competitive basis;
     (g) require, as a condition of each equipment purchase or lease, that the equipment vendor provide repair and maintenance service for new and returned equipment;
     (h) maintain records for a minimum of 5 years of each item of equipment, including the location, serial number, and telephone number of each device;
     (i) make reasonable efforts to recover equipment from those who become ineligible for continued participation in the program;
     (j) provide a telecommunications relay service system that would be available statewide for operation 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, including holidays; and
     (k) adopt rules necessary to administer the program.
     (2) In adopting rules to implement subsections (1)(a) and (1)(d), the committee may, based upon available funds, provide the specialized telecommunications equipment, without charge, to individuals whose family income is less than 250% of the federal poverty level.

     History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 669, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 396, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 65, Ch. 472, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 297, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 417, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 325, L. 2007.