REPORT TITLE:
Study; Deaf, Hard of Hearing,
Deaf-Blind


DESCRIPTION:
Requests a feasibility study to create a statewide structure to
provide effective services for persons who are deaf, hard of
hearing, or deaf-blind.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.1418       
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO CREATE A STATEWIDE STRUCTURE
   TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SERVICES FOR PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD
   OF HEARING, OR DEAF-BLIND.
 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there are an
 
 2 estimated 72,000 deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people
 
 3 living in Hawaii who are receiving an inadequate and unacceptable
 
 4 level of services.  Currently, services provided are fragmented
 
 5 within the state and community.  The legislature further finds
 
 6 that deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people continue to
 
 7 encounter communication barriers in accessing services and
 
 8 programs; that there is a lack of social service professionals
 
 9 with specialized training for serving deaf, hard of hearing and
 
10 deaf-blind persons; and that there is an insufficient number of
 
11 trained interpreters to meet the communication needs of deaf,
 
12 hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people.
 
13      The purpose of this bill is to create a governor's blue
 
14 ribbon panel to conduct a feasibility study to review existing
 
15 services, programs, and activities for deaf, hard of hearing, and
 
16 deaf-blind people, and to make recommendations on a structure
 
17 that will provide appropriate and effective services to the deaf,
 
18 hard of hearing and deaf-blind people of Hawaii.
 

 
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 1      Representatives to the blue ribbon panel should include
 
 2 statewide representation from the deaf, hard of hearing, and
 
 3 deaf-blind communities, parents, educators, counselors, 
 
 4 representatives from state agencies directly responsible for
 
 5 providing services to deaf people, representatives from
 
 6 educational institutions responsible for educating deaf children
 
 7 and adults, and representatives from consumer organizations.
 
 8      SECTION 2.  Establishment of a governor's blue ribbon panel.
 
 9 (a)  There is established a governor's blue ribbon panel to
 
10 conduct a feasibility study to review existing services,
 
11 programs, and activities for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-
 
12 blind people, and to make recommendations on a structure that
 
13 will provide appropriate and effective services to the deaf, hard
 
14 of hearing, and deaf-blind people of Hawaii that will provide a
 
15 more cost effective means of service provision for this
 
16 particular population.  The blue ribbon panel shall be housed
 
17 within the department of human services for administrative
 
18 purposes.  The blue ribbon panel shall consist of one
 
19 representative from each of the following consumer organizations:
 
20      (1)  Aloha State Association of the Deaf;
 
21      (2)  Hawaii Services on Deafness;
 
22      (3)  Hawaii State Coordinating Council on Deafness;
 
23      (4)  Hawaii State Coordinating Council on Deaf-Blindness;
 

 
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 1      (5)  Ohana Kuli O'Kokua;
 
 2      (6)  Vocational Rehabilitation Services Deaf Advisory
 
 3           Committee;
 
 4      (7)  Association of Late Deafened Adults;
 
 5      (8)  Cochlear Implant Association;
 
 6 One representative from each of the following educational
 
 7 agencies:
 
 8      (1)  Gallaudet University Regional Center;
 
 9      (2)  Hawaii Center for the Deaf and the Blind;
 
10      (3)  Kapiolani Community College's American Sign
 
11           Language/Interpreter Training Program;
 
12      (4)  Special Education Advisory Committee;
 
13 One representative from each of the following professional
 
14 organizations:
 
15      (1)  Hawaii Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf;
 
16      (2)  Hawaii State Teachers Association.
 
17 Representatives on the blue ribbon panel may also include
 
18 consumers and other representatives with an interest in the deaf,
 
19 hard of hearing, and deaf-blind communities.
 
20      (b)  Members shall be appointed by the governor without the
 
21 necessity of the advice and consent of the senate, and shall
 
22 serve at the pleasure of the governor.
 
23      (c)  Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be
 

 
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 1 reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for
 
 2 the performance of their duties.
 
 3      SECTION 3.  General duties.  Areas of concern that the
 
 4 governor's blue ribbon committee should also review include, but
 
 5 are not limited to the following:
 
 6      (1)  Communication Access;
 
 7      (2)  Professional Development and Standards;
 
 8      (3)  Education (including early intervention programs);
 
 9      (4)  Post-secondary Education;
 
10      (5)  Social Services;
 
11      (6)  Employment;
 
12      (7)  Independent Living;
 
13      (8)  Telecommunications;
 
14      (9)  Mental Health;
 
15      (10) Recreation (including tourism);
 
16      (11) Public Safety.
 
17      A report on the panel's progress and recommendations shall
 
18 be submitted to the governor twenty days prior to the start of
 
19 the Regular Session of 2000.
 
20      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
21 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $50,000, or so much
 
22 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, for a
 
23 governor's blue ribbon panel to conduct a feasibility study to
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.1418       
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 review existing services, programs, and activities for deaf, hard
 
 2 of hearing, and deaf-blind people, and to make recommendations on
 
 3 a structure that will provide appropriate and effective services
 
 4 to the deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people of Hawaii.
 
 5      SECTION 5.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 6 department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
 
 7      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 8 
 
 9                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________