Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears bill to replace 'hearing impaired' with 'deaf or hard of hearing' in Montana law
Summary
Representative Connie Keogh introduced House Bill 184 to standardize Montana Code language by replacing 'hearing impaired' with 'deaf or hard of hearing'; proponents from disability-led organizations testified the change removes stigma while sponsors said services and benefits would not be affected.
Representative Connie Keogh opened the hearing on House Bill 184, saying the measure would modernize language across Montana Code by replacing terms such as 'hearing impaired' with 'deaf or hard of hearing' and standardizing several related definitions. Keogh said staff identified roughly 13 statutory references that would be updated and that an amendment would clarify the change would not alter benefits or services.
Multiple proponents, many speaking remotely, urged the committee to pass the bill. Jennifer Hensley, testifying for Ability Montana, said…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
