10/09/2025

House Bill 461

Lead Sponsors: Representative Terrence Upchurch

Status: First hearing in House Local Government (October 8, 2025)

Description: The bill requires county and municipal correctional facilities and state correctional institutions to provide every inmate who is deaf, hard of hearing, or severely speech impaired access to a teletypewriter at no cost to the inmate, and prohibits these entities from denying such inmates access to a teletypewriter.

The Legislative Service Commission has not produced a fiscal analysis of the bill, but the cost to counties will depend on the extent to which county jails are already doing this practice. A brief Internet search shows these devices can cost between $300 and $400 each.

CCAO Position: No position (as of October 2025)