House committee adopts amendment specifying American Sign Language in deaf education bill and forwards HB39

The House Education Committee on May 5 adopted an amendment to House Bill 39 to replace a generic reference to “sign language” with “American Sign Language,” and then voted to move the bill out of committee with attached fiscal notes and individual recommendations.

The amendment was offered and moved in committee by Rep. Eisheide and described as narrowing the definition to make clear schools will offer English and American Sign Language as options. Ashlyn Brooks, staff to Rep. Allard, said the bill sponsor worked with the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and characterized the amendment as “very friendly.”

Rep. Hemshutt, who placed a brief hold for discussion, emphasized the bill’s parity with investments already made for other students who require additional services, saying the investment in students who are deaf or hard of hearing “parallels the investment that we also make in visually impaired children, children with autism” and others. After discussion the objection was withdrawn and the committee approved moving HB39 forward.

The committee record shows the amendment was adopted without objection and that the committee moved HB39, version A as amended, out of the House Education Committee with attached fiscal notes and individual recommendations. The committee took time immediately after the vote to sign paperwork before proceeding to other business.

No substantive changes to the bill text beyond the amendment were recorded in the committee meeting, and no formal amendments beyond the ASL wording were reported during the hearing.