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Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982

Public Law 97-410 · S. 2355 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 3, 1983 · Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor: Sen. Howard Cannon (D-NV)

Cosponsors (3): Sen. Barry Goldwater,

Passage votes

  • HouseMethod not stated
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)

Telecommunications for the Disabled Act of 1982 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish regulations to ensure reasonable access to telephone service by persons with impaired hearing.

Directs the FCC to require that essential telephones provide internal means for effective use with specially designed hearing aids. Defines "essential telephones" to mean only coin operated telephones, emergency telephones, and other telephones frequently needed by persons using hearing aids. Directs the FCC to establish the necessary technical standards. Directs the FCC to establish the labeling requirements necessary to provide adequate information for consumers on the compatibility between telephones and hearing aids. Directs the FCC to consider in rulemaking decisions the costs and benefits to all telephone users, including those with and without hearing impairments. Directs the FCC to ensure that regulations adopted to implement this Act do not impair development of improved technology.

Requires the rules and regulations required by this Act to be completed within one year after enactment. Directs the FCC to review such rules and regulations periodically.

Permits common carriers or connecting carriers to provide specialized terminal equipment needed by persons with hearing, speech, vision, or mobility impairments. Permits such carriers to recover in its tariffs for regulated service the costs for such equipment not charged to users of the equipment.

Directs the FCC to delegate to each State commission the authority to enforce the FCC regulations on telephone service for the hearing impaired.

Amends the Public Broadcasting Amendments Act of 1981 to change the length of the terms of new members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to ensure that the political balance of the Board is retained.

Amends the Communications Satellite Act of 1962 to delete the requirement that 50 percent of all new stock issued by the Communications Satellite Corporation must be reserved for purchase by authorized communications carriers.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.

  1. Jan 3, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-410.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 22, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 18, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments to House Amendments.
  5. Dec 17, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendments with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  6. Dec 13, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Yea-Nay Vote: 365 - 14 (Record Vote No: 435).House roll call 435
  7. Sep 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  8. Sep 23, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  10. Sep 14, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  11. Sep 8, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
  12. Aug 18, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  13. Jul 22, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  14. Jul 14, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  15. May 6, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Communications Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  16. Apr 1, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  17. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.