(a) The commission shall adopt regulations to require telecommunications utilities to provide service to subscribers who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled that permits the subscriber to communicate by one or more telecommunications devices with persons of normal hearing and that makes available reasonable access of all phases of public telecommunications service to subscribers of telecommunications services who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled. The regulations must provide for cost recovery through surcharges added to the rate for each telecommunications service. The commission shall hold hearings to determine the most cost-effective method of providing this service.
(b) A telecommunications service subscriber is eligible for the service required by (a) of this section if the subscriber is a person who is certified as deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled by a licensed physician, a speech-language pathologist licensed under AS 08.11, an audiologist, or the Department of Health and Social Services or if the subscriber is an organization that represents or has a principal purpose to provide services to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled as determined by the commission.