§ 26-21-103 — Definitions

Colorado § 26-21-103

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 26: Human
• Art.: Communication Services for People with

Text

As used in this article 21, unless the context
otherwise requires:

(1) Repealed.

(1.5) Auxiliary services means those aids and services that assist in
effective communication with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind.
Auxiliary services are also known as communication access services and may
include but are not limited to:

(a) The services of a qualified interpreter as defined in section 13-90-202 (8);

(b) The provision of a qualified communication access realtime translation
(CART) reporter;

(c) The provision of an assistive listening device; or

(d) The acquisition or modification of equipment or devices to assist in
effective communication with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind.

(2) Repealed.

(2.3) Board means the board of directors of the enterprise appointed
pursuant to section 26-21-103.5 (2).

(3) Commission means the Colorado commission for the deaf, hard of
hearing, and deafblind advisory council created pursuant to section 26-21-104 (1).

(3.5) Communication access realtime translation or CART has the same
meaning as communication access realtime translation (CART) reporter, as set
forth in section 13-90-202 (5).

(4) Communications technology means any communication device or
application utilizing radio, television, cellular phone, computer and network
hardware and software, satellite, cable, broadband systems, or similar medium and
the services and applications associated with those mediums, including video and
teleconference services.

(4.3) Deafblind means a person who has concomitant hearing and visual
impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication barriers
and developmental and educational challenges that a child who is deafblind cannot
be accommodated in special education programs designed solely for children who
are deaf or children who are blind.

(4.4) Division means the division for the deaf, hard of hearing, and
deafblind created in section 26-21-106 within the enterprise.

(4.5) Enterprise means the communication services for people with
disabilities enterprise created in section 26-21-103.5.

(4.6) Fund means the Colorado division for the deaf, hard of hearing, and
deafblind cash fund created in section 26-21-107.

(4.7) Intervener means a person who is at least eighteen years of age and:

(a) Is knowledgeable in a variety of techniques used to support a child who is
deafblind to meaningfully participate in the child's community;

(b) Has completed or is enrolled in an intervener training or certification
program that is recognized and accepted by the division;

(c) Has the ability to proficiently communicate in the functional language of
the child to whom the intervener is assigned;

(d) Has at least one year of experience working with individuals with
deafness, blindness, deafblindness, or intellectual and developmental disabilities;
and

(e) Has at least six months of experience working with individuals who have
deafblindness.

(4.8) Intervener program manager means a person who is knowledgeable
about interveners, the deafblind community, and program management and:

(a) Has a minimum of one year of paid experience in community programs
planning and providing direct services to children with deafness, blindness,
deafblindness, or multiple disabilities, and has a master's degree in a health and
human services-related field; or

(b) Has a minimum of two years of paid experience in community programs
planning and providing direct services to individuals with deafness, blindness,
deafblindness, or multiple disabilities, and has a bachelor's degree in a health and
human services-related field.

(5) Late deafened means a person whose hearing loss began in late
childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, after the person acquired oral language
skills.

(6) Latent deafblind means a person who has an existing ear and eye
condition that has not yet manifested.

(7) Low vision means an eye condition where visual acuity is 20/70 or
poorer in the better eye and the condition cannot be corrected or improved with
optical corrective devices.

(8) Orientation and mobility specialist means a professional who focuses
on instructing individuals who are deafblind on how to effectively and
independently travel through their environment.

(8.5) Prepaid telephone disability access charge or charge means the
charge imposed by the enterprise pursuant to section 26-21-103.5 (1)(a)(III).

(9) State court system means the system of courts, or any part thereof,
established pursuant to articles 1 to 9 of title 13 and article VI of the state
constitution. State court system does not include the municipal courts or any part
thereof.

(10) Support service provider means a person who provides visual and
environmental information, acts as a sighted guide, or facilitates communication for
deafblind individuals.

(11) Telecommunications relay services means any telecommunications
services through a third party that allow an individual who is deaf, hard of hearing,
or deafblind or who has a speech disability to communicate by any compatible
telecommunications service with one or more individuals in a manner that is
functionally equivalent to the ability of an individual who does not have a hearing or
speech disability.

(12) Telephone disability access surcharge or surcharge means the
surcharge imposed by the enterprise pursuant to section 26-21-103.5 (1)(a)(II).

Legislative History

Source: L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 1625, � 1, effective June 1. L. 2009: Entire section amended, (SB 09-144), ch. 219, p. 985, � 2, effective August 5. L. 2011: (7) amended, (HB 11-1303), ch. 264, p. 1171, � 79, effective August 10. L. 2015: (3.3) and (3.6) added, (SB 15-178), ch. 151, p. 455, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2018: Entire section amended, (HB 18-1108), ch. 303, p. 1837, � 13, effective August 8. L. 2023: (4.3), (4.7), and (4.8) added, (HB 23-1067), ch. 186, p. 907, � 2, effective August 7. L. 2024: (1) amended, (1.5) added, and (2) repealed, (HB 24-1276), ch. 267, p. 1748, � 4, effective August 7. L. 2025: (1) repealed, (2.3), (3.5), (4.4), (4.5), (4.6), (8.5), (11), and (12) added, and (3), (4.7)(b), and IP(4.8) amended, (HB 25-1154), ch. 230, p. 1066, � 3, effective May 22.