Legislature(2023 - 2024)DAVIS 106
04/26/2023 08:00 AM House EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB111 | |
| HB106 | |
| HB105 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 105 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 111 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 111-EDUCATION FOR DEAF & HEARING IMPAIRED
8:05:03 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 111, "An Act relating to public school
students who are deaf or have a hearing impairment." [Before
the committee, adopted as the work draft on 4/24/23, was the
proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 111, Version 33-
LS0504\S, Marx, 4/22/23, Version S.]
8:05:42
CLARA BALDWIN, representing self, gave invited testimony in
support of HB 111. [Ms. Baldwin signed her testimony, which was
spoken by an ASL interpreter.] She provided her background in
overseeing the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (AKSDHH) and related that she is deaf. The reason she
is here today, she said, is that she was born in a deaf family,
which is rare. She shared that she is a fifth-generation deaf
person, which can be seen as an advantage, although she
indicated there is nothing wrong with a baby born to a family
who does not know sign language. She relayed that every deaf
child is unique. She acknowledged that from birth, she had an
advantage in that her parents were signing to her; therefore,
she learned social cues long before school began. Deaf children
who do not have that advantage must catch up starting in
kindergarten, but schools are not able to provide a full grade
curriculum. The proposed bill, she advised, would make deaf and
hard of hearing children's presence known and show that Alaska
"has their back." She reiterated that she had been privileged
and now wants the same for every deaf and hard of hearing
student and future generations in Alaska to have an accessible
experience, which would start with HB 111.
8:10:21 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD invited questions from the committee.
8:10:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT directed a question to Ms. Baldwin's
interpreter. [The interpreter, who was not fully identified for
the record, spoke briefly about the qualifications of
interpreters.]
8:12:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked Ms. Baldwin to speak on AKSDHH
and her experiences there.
8:12:38 AM
MS. BALDWIN responded that she is very proud of the school,
which currently is a self-contained program in a public school
building. She said it allows students to learn social skills
with their hearing peers during recess and during some special
classes. Counseling services are offered through a deaf
counselor, as well as additional language services to train
students appropriately. She added that ages 3 to 22 are
currently served, which includes the adult community transition
program. There are leadership opportunities for students,
clubs, theater, fundraising training, and every student can
engage in after school sports with their hearing peers. She
noted that interpreters are provided throughout.
8:15:15 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked Ms. Baldwin whether she felt the bill
would open up more doors.
MS. BALDWIN replied, "Yes, yes, definitely."
8:15:41 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY questioned how the state is doing with the
availability of interpreters for all students.
MS. BALDWIN replied that the state has an interpreter shortage.
Additionally, some people are getting ready to retire and
transition. The state has the minimum requirements, but she
said she wants more. She stated that her interpreter today is
also a program coordinator who hires and supervises all of the
interpreters and, through partnering with an agency, now has
five interns from the Lower 48. In response to a follow-up
question, she said there is a shortage in the area of
interpreters as a result of the challenge of scheduling and
serving such a vast state.
8:18:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT referenced children in rural Alaska and
recognized that there are more choices that must be made. She
asked whether it is more important for a student to be amongst
their family, peers, and culture, or more important to be in the
special school in Anchorage. She asked Ms. Baldwin whether, if
the bill addresses what the "least restrictive environment" is,
a child would have to leave their community and go to Anchorage.
8:20:05 AM
MS. BALDWIN replied that there is a program called Rural Deaf
Support Services (RDSS), which finds host families that provide
licensed foster homes, and there are many different families
that qualify. She clarified that the bill would not force a
student to have to attend the school in Anchorage. She added
that virtual services are available if, for example, a student
comes to Anchorage from rural Alaska and finds that the school
is not for them. In addition, there is an annual statewide deaf
retreat in Eagle River, Alaska, for secondary students and above
which provides an opportunity to meet peers in person and then
go back to their respective villages.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT stated that her concern is with the
designation of "least restrictive environment", which carries
legal weight. She asked Ms. Baldwin whether the bill would
still work if something other than that term were used.
8:22:47 AM
MS. BALDWIN replied that there are two different perspectives.
She stated it can be narrowed down, and that the bill could be
amended.
8:23:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX observed there must be alternatives other
than ASL for "least restrictive." He questioned what may be
available.
MS. BALDWIN replied that students can be mainstream, and some
students thrive with just hearing aids. She said she prefers a
sign language interpreter, whereas some students thrive sitting
near the teacher where they have access to auditory input.
8:24:26 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked about the services provided to other
municipalities compared to the school in Anchorage and how the
bill would help in that aspect.
MS. BALDWIN explained that other schools are smaller and more
isolated than AKSDHH. She said the bill would make the school
more known and provide the ability to reach out further, in
addition to providing virtual services. She stated she has
opportunities to travel to other municipalities to support their
schools in hopes of informing everyone statewide that they have
the help of AKSDHH.
CO-CHAIR ALLARD asked whether the proposed legislation is an
incentive to encourage other interpreters to come forward
because the state is offering more support.
MS. BALDWIN agreed. She added that the deaf community is a
small community, but it can make a huge impact.
8:26:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked what support the school district may
provide for parents to learn sign language.
MS. BALDWIN replied that a sign language class is offered, and
there is frequent communication with parents regarding their
child's individual education plan (IEP).
8:28:44 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX brought up the term "profoundly deaf" and
asked whether ASL was the only alternative.
MS. BALDWIN replied she was not sure. She said that some
individuals that are considered profoundly deaf can speak very
clearly with repetition and training behind them.
8:29:28 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD offered a personal example of a friend and asked
whether Ms. Baldwin could speak on his situation. In addition,
she explained that she uses a coil that is integrated into her
phone and hearing aids and asked Ms. Baldwin to speak on what a
coil means.
MS. BALDWIN replied that the individual in question can speak as
well as being fluent in sign language. She explained that
sometimes, if it is, for example, a big room with a lot of
stimuli, that individual will depend on the interpreter for the
competing noise. In response to a follow-up question, she spoke
about the use of coils providing sound to those hard of hearing
or deaf.
8:32:10 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD opened public testimony on HB 111.
8:32:31 AM
PAMELA MUELLER-GUY, representing self, testified in support of
HB 111, noting that she has been [in Juneau] since 1974. She
said she agrees with what the lady said - "excellent." She
spoke about her experience as a deaf person in school, relating
that her teacher wore a microphone and she wore headphones,
someone would point to the person talking, and she could learn
by reading lips. She talked about words having five different
meanings in sign language and about parents learning to sign.
She said video phones are helpful to deaf people working at jobs
that use the telephone. In response to Co-Chair Allard, she
confirmed that she supports HB 111.
8:38:59 AM
HEIDI LIEB-WILLIAMS, Chair, Governor's Council on Disabilities
and Special Education, Department of Health (DOH), testified in
support of HB 111. She explained she is a strong advocate for
the autism and disability community. She informed the committee
that she is functionally deaf and hard of hearing; it depends on
the moment whether she has her hearing or not. She shared that
she has undergone hundreds of ear surgeries to get the hearing
she currently has, and recently, she almost lost the hearing she
has. She said she wished she knew ASL to help her with
communication, and she described some of the difficulties she
has endured due to communication barriers. She stated she is
working on getting hearing aids, and the reason HB 111 is so
important is so parents can choose for their child, instead of
just relying on the districts. She urged the committee to pass
HB 111.
8:45:05 AM
AMY BOBICH, representing self, testified in support of HB 111.
[Ms. Bobich signed her testimony, which was spoken by an ASL
interpreter.] She explained she is both a teacher of deaf and
hard of hearing children and a deaf individual. She said she
was born deaf but her parents did not find out until later;
therefore, she did not learn any language until later. Her
family made the decisions on how she could best get her
education and how she could access information, she said. She
stressed the importance of access to language for deaf children,
as there are many opportunities missed during the first five
years of life. She opined that parents should not have to fight
to receive the information and resources for their deaf
children, and HB 111 is "amazing and powerful" because all the
resources would be provided in one place and would be
accessible.
8:50:20 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 111.
8:50:45 AM
MS. BALDWIN thanked the committee for letting her have the
platform today and encouraged anyone to reach out with
questions.
8:51:18 AM
CO-CHAIR ALLARD announced that HB 111 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB105 Amendment 2.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 4.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 3.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB 105 CS VerB.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |
| HB105 Amendment 1.pdf |
HEDC 4/26/2023 8:00:00 AM |
HB 105 |