(1) The Mississippi Public Service Commission shall establish, implement, administer, regulate and promote a statewide program to provide telephone access to persons who are speech or hearing impaired.

(2) The program shall include but not be limited to:

(a) A statewide dual party relay service;

(b) The establishment of characteristics and performance standards for TDD ring signaling devices and volume control handsets;

(c) A single supplier statewide relay system to handle all intrastate TDD calls; and

(d) The promulgation of procedures, regulations, rules, guidelines and criteria to establish, implement, administer, regulate and promote all aspects of the dual party relay service and this article where not prohibited by law.

(3) The commission may use assistance from public agencies of the state and federal government or from private organizations and industry to accomplish the purposes of this article.

(4) The commission shall not be liable for any claims, actions, damages or causes of action, civil or criminal, arising out of or resulting from the establishment, participation in or operation of the dual party relay system service.

(5) The provider of the dual party relay system service, and the employees of the provider, shall not be liable for any claims, actions, damages or causes of action, civil or criminal, for:

(a) Maintaining the confidentiality of each relayed conversation;

(b) Relaying any message from one party to another in a relayed conversation; or

(c) Any error made in the transcription, transmission or transliteration of any message from one party to another in a relayed conversation, except for errors resulting from gross negligence, intentional acts or willful misconduct.