(a) The Department in consultation with the Board shall: (1) establish and administer a program to provide cost–efficient, 24–hour, dual party relay service to program participants at a comparable level of access and quality that a standard telecommunication service provides to a person without a hearing or speech disability; (2) develop the program in collaboration with State programs currently serving disabled individuals and with community agencies or other organizations that have established relay programs; and (3) maintain an information and referral service to provide information about the availability of the relay service. (b) The Department in consultation with the Board shall: (1) contract with a private vendor or nonprofit organization to provide the information and referral service required under subsection (a)(3) of this section; and (2) provide appropriate staff assistance from the Department, including a director, to assist the Board in carrying out its duties under this subtitle. (c) The director provided under subsection (b)(2) of this section shall: (1) be an individual who is: (i) deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled; and (ii) is a user of er this subtitle. (c) The director provided under subsection (b)(2) of this section shall: (1) be an individual who is: (i) deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled; and (ii) is a user of telecommunications relay services; (2) direct the implementation of services and programs established in accordance with this subtitle and Subtitle 9 of this title; and (3) advise the Department and the Secretary of Disabilities on regulatory policy and the administration of the Universal Service Trust Fund.
Maryland Legal Code