20230428Final_Order_No_35763.pdf

ORDER NO. 35763 1
Office of the Secretary
Service Date
April 28, 2023
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF REVIEWING THE
ADMINISTRATOR’S 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
AND ESTABLISHING THE FUNDING
LEVELS TO SUPPORT THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE
(TRS) PROGRAM

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CASE NO. GNR-T-23-02

ORDER NO. 35763

On February 15, 2023, the Idaho Telecommunications Relay Service (“TRS”)
Administrator, Kathleen Toohill (“Administrator”), submitted the calendar year 2022 Annual
Report and 2023 TRS Budget to the Commission. Each year, the Commission reviews the
Administrator’s Annual Report and determines the funding levels needed to meet the TRS
program’s future expenses. IDAPA 31.46.02.204. In this Order we accept the Administrator’s
2022 Report and 2023 Budget.
BACKGROUND
The Idaho Legislature established the TRS Act in 1992 in accordance with Title IV of the
federal Americans with Disabilities Act. The TRS program allows hearing or speech-impaired
citizens to engage in telephone communications “in a manner functionally equivalent to that of
individuals without hearing or speech impairments.” Idaho Code § 61-1301. The Idaho TRS
service provider is Hamilton Telecommunications (“Hamilton”). Hamilton operates the relay
center where oral conversations are converted or “relayed” to text-type and vice versa. The relay
center also provides speech-to-speech, Spanish-to-Spanish, video, and Internet relay services.
The Idaho TRS fund is supported by assessments on local telephone service (residential
and business) access lines and on billed intrastate long-distance minutes. Idaho’s TRS fund
reimburses Hamilton for in-state relay traffic and captioned telephone (“CapTel”)1 services and
Rolka Loube Saltzer Associates, LLC reimburses Hamilton for interstate calls, including intrastate
Internet relays and Internet video relay service.

1 CapTel allows hard-of-hearing users to hear the conversation as well as read the words on the phone’s built-in screen.
A trained operator “re-voices” the conversation from a caller into the voice recognition technology that converts the
words into a text message and provides the CapTel user with a more natural conversation.
ORDER NO. 35763 2
THE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
The Administrator reported that the relay center handled 1,102 calls in calendar year
2022—a 41% decrease from calendar year 2021. The number of CapTel units held steady. The
average time it took Hamilton for a call to reach the relay switchboard and be answered by a
communication assistant in 2022 was 0.39 seconds. This response time was a return closer to the
average response time in 2019, recorded at 0.41 seconds.
1. 2022 Expenses. The TRS expenses for the year totaled $136,097. Disbursements to
Hamilton were $93,973. The administrative fees and expenses for the reporting year were $42,124.
The end-of-year fund balance was $97,998.
2. 2022 Revenues and Allocations. Telephone companies reported a 6.4% decrease in total
intrastate long-distance minutes, from about 65,058,266 minutes in 2021 to about 60,936,00
minutes in 2022. Average monthly telephone lines decreased by approximately 1.6%, from 89,110
in 2021 to 87,700 in 2022.
The 2022 annual total contribution to the TRS fund was $112,741 an increase of $7,496
(6.6%) from 2022. Local exchange services contributed $51,805 (46%) and Message
Telecommunication Services (“MTS”) and Wide Area Telephone Service (“WATS”) collectively
contributed $60,936 (54%). In Commission Order No. 34988, the per-line and per long distance
minute assessments for 2022 were increased to $0.05 and $0.001, respectively, and went into effect
on May 1, 2021. The table below shows 2022 TRS contribution sources and amounts.

2021 Revenue Sources Amount Percentage of Total
Local Service Providers
($.05/month/line)

$51,805

46%
MTS/WATS Providers
($.001/min)

$60,936

54%
TOTAL $112,742 100%

3. Proposed 2023 Budget. The Administrator projects an annual operating budget of
$141,350. The budget includes administrative fees and expenses, travel and conference costs, the
Hamilton TRS payments, and NASRA annual membership dues.
4. Proposed 2023 TRS Funding Levels. Based on the proposed budget for 2023 and the
2022 end-of-year reserves, the Administrator provided these options:
ORDER NO. 35763 3
Option 1: Continue the present compensation rates to the TRS fund that were determined
in Order No. 34988, at $0.05 per line and $0.001 per long-distance minute.
Option 2: Continue with the current long distance per minute rate of $0.001 while raising
the per line rate to a range somewhere between $0.06 or $0.10 per line to try and level out the
contributions to closer to 50% of LEC lines and MTS/WATS.
Option 3: Raise both rates.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
After reviewing the information filed by the Administrator, Staff recommended the
Commission adopt the Administrator’s Report and projected 2023 budget. Staff noted that Idaho
citizens continue to be well served by the Administrator and the relay services provided by
Hamilton. Staff also noted that the 2023 budget projection of $141,550 is reasonable based on the
anticipated TRS expenses. Staff explained that the projected revenue—together with the current
fund balance—should be enough to meet 2023 expenses and any unforeseen events. Staff noted
the current rates approved in Order No. 34988 continued to be reasonable.
DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
In this Order, the Commission formally adopts the Administrator’s 2022 Annual Report.
We find the reported expenses for 2022 reasonable. Idaho citizens continue to be well served by
the Administrator and the relay services provided by Hamilton. The Commission also finds that
the 2023 budget projection of $141,550 is reasonable based upon the anticipated TRS expenses
this year.
Based upon our review of the Annual Report and Staff’s recommendations, we find it is
just and reasonable to maintain the current rates approved in Order No. 34988.
O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Commission accepts the Administrator’s 2022 Annual
Report and 2023 budget.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the 2023 TRS funding level of telephone corporations
providing local service in Idaho remain unchanged at a rate of $0.05 per line.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the 2023 TRS funding level for telephone corporations
providing intrastate MTS/WATS service remain unchanged at a rate of $0.001 per long distance
minute.
ORDER NO. 35763 4
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the TRS Administrator continue to monitor
expenditures, revenues, and Federal Communications Commission actions. Any time it appears
that revenues will not cover expenditures, the TRS Administrator is to immediately notify the
Commission so it may evaluate whether TRS funding levels should change.
THIS IS A FINAL ORDER. Any person interested in this Order may petition for
reconsideration within twenty-one (21) days of the service date of this Order regarding any matter
decided in this Order. Within seven (7) days after any person has petitioned for reconsideration,
any other person may cross-petition for reconsideration. See Idaho Code § 61-626.
DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this 28th day
of April 2023.

__________________________________________
ERIC ANDERSON, PRESIDENT

__________________________________________
JOHN R. HAMMOND JR., COMMISSIONER

__________________________________________
EDWARD LODGE, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Jan Noriyuki
Commission Secretary

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