Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
04/30/2025 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB176 | |
| HB39 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 176 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 39 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 39-EDUCATION FOR DEAF & HARD OF HEARING
8:38:34 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT announced that the final order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 39, "An Act relating to public school
students who are deaf or hard of hearing."
8:39:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE ALLARD, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 39 to the committee. She read from the
sponsor statement for HB 39 [included in the committee packet],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 39 is a deaf and hard of hearing
children's bill of rights that establishes consistency
in the information provided to parents by the school
district, allows parents to choose the best method of
communication for their child and requires the school
district to provide services using the parent's chosen
method of communication.
Deaf children are born with the same ability to
acquire language as others. They have the right and
capacity to be educated, graduate from high school,
obtain further education, and pursue a career. They
have the right to have their ability to communicate
and acquire language to be treated as a priority.
Lack of access in the classroom leads to students
missing essential information in lectures and
classroom discussions and can lead to low academic
achievement and lower language acquisition. Children
who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to
accommodations and access to academic instruction,
school services, and extracurricular activities in
their primary language. Access in their primary
languages gives them the opportunity to benefit from
all services and programs at their school and to fully
access education and society.
Given the unique nature of rural Alaska, some children
who are deaf or hard of hearing may require
residential services as part of their educational
program. HB 39 declares all deaf children have the
right to an individualized education program and that
their parent will be able to choose the method of
communication that will be the most appropriate for
their child.
House Bill 39 establishes that children who are deaf
or hard of hearing have the right to an individualized
education program that identifies their primary
language, considers their prognosis for hearing loss,
provides instruction in their primary language,
provides assistive devices and services, and provides
appropriate and timely assessments in their primary
language.
Seventeen states have passed a Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Children's Bill of Rights.
8:43:35 AM
ASHLYN BROOKS, Staff, Representative Jamie Allard, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Jamie Allard, prime
sponsor, presented HB 39 to the committee. She read from the
sectional analysis for HB 39 [included in the committee packet],
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Section 1: amends AS 14.30.272 by adding new
subsections:
1. School district must provide parent with
comprehensive information regarding,
a. Hearing technology
b. Different methods of communication
c. Services and programs designed to help
children who are deaf and hard of hearing
d. Information on support and advocacy
services offered by public and private
agencies.
2. Parent chooses the method of communication that
will be the most appropriate for their child.
3. Services are delivered to child through
professionals with training, experience and a
background in the chosen method of communication.
d. School District must inform parent of school
districts duties and the parents rights under
section c.
e. In this section,
1. Definition of "bilingual approach"
2. Definition of "cued speech"
3. Definition of "deaf"
4. Definition of "hard of hearing"
5. Definition of "Listening and spoken
language"
6. Definition of "total communication"
Section 2: amends AS 14.30.276 by adding a new
subsection that requires the department to establish
and operate a centralized program for students whose
primary language is American Sign Language, provide
residential services as part of the program,
establishes that a school district may operate the
program under specific requirements, and provide
funding for the students who attend the program
operated by a school districted under this subsection
to that school district.
8:47:58 AM
CO-CHAIR STORY opined that the zero fiscal note associated with
HB 39 could be more accurately described as an "indeterminate"
fiscal note.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD explained that the funding HB 39 would
receive would be designated by the current education funding
formula.
8:50:10 AM
DEBORAH RIDDLE, Department of Education & Early Development,
added that students who are deaf and hard of hearing already
receive intensive funding through the Department of Education
and Early Development (DEED) and explained that the federal
government would make up 40 percent of the cost of intensive
need funding.
8:53:23 AM
DONALD ENOCH, Special Education Administrator, Department of
Education & Early Development, explained that that the federal
funding that committee members were referring to was not
specifically designated for high-cost students.
8:54:39 AM
DUANE MAYES, Chair of the Alaska Deaf Council's Public Policy &
Legislative Committee, gave invited testimony on HB 39. He
emphasized the Alaska Deaf Council's formal support for HB 39
and explained how the rural deaf support services grant would be
applied to further the proposed policies of HB 39. He detailed
how a deafblind residential program in Alaska has had positive
effects on children with intensive needs and emphasized the
importance of not placing deafblind children in deaf boarding
schools due to their isolating nature. He shared a series of
personal anecdotes with his own experience with deafblind people
and connected them to the importance of the proposed legislation
and its goals.
9:04:50 AM
CLARA BALDWIN, Assistant Director, Alaska State School for Deaf
& Hard of Hearing, gave invited testimony on HB 39. She began
her testimony by thanking Representative Eischeid and
Representative Allard for their support of the proposed
legislation and shared how her experience living in a fully
immersed deaf home allowed her to have a fulfilling childhood
that many deaf children often do not get to experience. She
explained the difference in lived experience between a hearing
person and a deaf person and emphasized the vast array of lived
experiences of deaf and hard of hearing people. She highlighted
the negative impacts of a language-deprived child and stressed
the importance of early intervention in a deafblind child's
life.
[Clara Baldwin testified in American Sign Language with an
interpreter to deliver her testimony in English].
9:11:01 AM
JILLIAN SCHROEDER, Parent & Advocate for Deaf Child, gave
invited testimony on HB 39. She explained how an early hearing
detection and intervention program allowed her daughter to
receive a very early diagnosis of significant hearing loss,
which set her up for success as a deaf person from the age of
three weeks old. She said that HB 39 is mainly about providing
parents with the tools they need to make informed decisions on
their child's wellbeing and detailed the often convoluted
information landscape that parents of deaf children must
navigate. She thanked the House Education Standing Committee,
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, and Representative Allard for
sponsoring the proposed legislation,.
9:16:59 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT opened public testimony on HB 39.
9:17:34 AM
AMANDA ARMAGOST, representing self, testified in support of HB
39. She explained that she has a hard of hearing daughter who
might be permanently affected by her lack of early intervention
to her condition and made a few remarks about specific sections
of the proposed legislation.
9:19:40 AM
RICHARD SAVILLE, representing self, testified in support of HB
39. He said that deaf and hard of hearing children have a right
to learn from qualified professionals, interact with deaf peers
and adult role models, and have full access to information. He
said that HB 39 would ensure the protection of these rights and
urged the committee's support of HB 39.
9:22:05 AM
TORIN SMITH, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
He said that the lack of services and equitable treatment of
deaf and hard of hearing children is "detrimental" to Alaska and
emphasized his support for the proposed legislation.
9:24:34 AM
AMANDA COTTLE, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
She explained that the late intervention of her daughters case
of hearing loss has had a negative effect and said that HB 39
would allow her child to find community and feel included with
her peers.
9:26:31 AM
TINA LOCKHART, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
She said that no child should have to leave their families in
order for them to receive deaf or hard of hearing services and
urged the committee's support of HB 39.
9:28:08 AM
COURTNEY WESTMANN, representing self, testified in support of HB
39. She shared her experience growing up as a deaf child in
Alaska living with a hearing family and shared how knowing a
deaf person when she was young changed her life for the better.
She emphasized the negative impacts that late intervention has
on a deaf or hard of hearing child and urged the committee's
support of HB 39.
9:31:25 AM
JAMIE KOKOSZKA, PC2, The Governor's Council on Disabilities &
Special Education, testified in support of HB 39. She shared her
experience in being mistreated as a deafblind youth in Alaska's
schools and emphasized the importance of the proposed policies
of HB 39.
9:34:36 AM
CHRISTY KNIGHT, representing self, testified in support of HB
39. She suggested that the House Education Standing Committee
consult with Alaska's Early Intervention Infant Learning program
to better the proposed legislation's parental communication and
resource access.
9:36:32 AM
KAREN STRACHE, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
She emphasized the positive impacts of her family's choice to
move forward with a bilingual approach to her daughter's
deafness and urged the committee's support of HB 39.
9:38:20 AM
TYLER GREEN, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
He shared his experience in having to move his family from
Ketchikan to Anchorage in order to provide care to his deaf son
and emphasized the often difficult circumstances that still
persist in attempting to provide his child with the care that he
needs.
9:40:32 AM
BYRON JENSEN, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
He shared his experience as a child in throwing his hearing aids
in the toilet as a means to emphasize the importance of language
choice with deaf and hard of hearing children. He added his
belief that HB 39 would ensure school choice be left to a
child's parent.
9:44:08 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT asked if the proposed legislation is
stylistically correct in its usage of a capital "D" in the word
"Deaf" as it is written in HB 39, given that there is a
distinction between the two in the deaf and hard of hearing
community.
MR. JENSEN replied that he appreciated Co-Chair Himschoot's
consideration but is not concerned by the usage of a capital "D"
in the word "Deaf" as it is written in HB 39.
9:45:55 AM
AMY BOBICH, representing self, testified in support of HB 39.
She shared her experience working as a deaf education teacher
and emphasized the importance of early intervention in deafblind
children. She explained the significance of choice with regard
to how a family might choose to address its child's condition,
whether that be spoken word or sign language and described how
she still has children coming to her class well underprepared
and behind in their language education. She thanked the
committee members for their support of HB 39.
[Amy Bobich testified in American Sign Language with an
interpreter to deliver her testimony in English].
9:48:56 AM
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT, after ascertaining that there was no one
else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 39.
[HB 39 was held over].
9:49:44 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Education Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:49 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 176 A.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 Sponsor Statement Version A.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 Sectional Analysis Version A.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 Fiscal Note UA #1296.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 ASUAF Support Resolution 2.18.2025.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 39 Version A.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 Sponsor Statement 04.10.2025.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 Sectional Analysis 04.10.2025.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 FN #2796 4.25.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 Article ADN_ASL Cuts in ASD Budget 2.11.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 Research_AK Deaf Children Bill of Rights-AK Deaf Council & Duane Mayes1.24.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM HEDC 5/5/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 176 AC UA Bill 2014.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 GS UA Bill 2024.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 UAF Bill Spring 2014.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 UAF Fee Committee Memo 6.25.24.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 176 UAF Fee Explanation 2025.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 176 |
| HB 39 FN #2796 5.5.25.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 Amend #1 43025.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |
| HB 39 LOS GCD&SpEd & PT.pdf |
HEDC 4/30/2025 8:00:00 AM |
HB 39 |