GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 457
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/4/95

Short Title:  Recognize American Sign Language.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  

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March 9, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO RECOGNIZE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AS A LANGUAGE OF DEAF PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the fourth largest group of language users in the United States and Canada is the group using American Sign Language (ASL); and
Whereas, North Carolina has over 50,000 deaf citizens; and
Whereas, American Sign Language has met the accepted criteria of having a system with relatively arbitrary symbols, grammatical signals/syntax, a community of users, and goes through historical changes to qualify it as a legitimate language; and
Whereas, many state legislatures have recognized American Sign Language as a language; and
Whereas, it is the right of every deaf person to have his own language; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 143B-216.30 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B-216.30.  Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply throughout this Part unless otherwise specified:
(01)	'American Sign Language (ASL)' means a visual-gestural language that is a separate and distinct language involving the hands, arms, facial markers and body movements to convey grammatical information.
(1)	'Council' means the Council for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing of the Department of Human Resources.
(2)	'Deaf' means the inability to hear and/or understand oral communication, with or without assistance of amplification devices.
(3)	'Division' means the Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing of the Department of Human Resources.
(4)	'Hard of hearing' means permanent hearing loss which is severe enough to necessitate the use of amplification devices to hear oral communication.
(5)	'Ring signaling device' means a mechanism such as a flashing light which visually indicates that a communication is being received through a telephone line.  This phrase also means mechanisms such as adjustable volume ringers and buzzers which audibly and loudly indicate an incoming telephone communication.
(6)	'Speech impaired' means permanent loss of oral communication ability.
(7)	'Telecommunications device' or 'TDD' means a keyboard mechanism attached to or in place of a standard telephone by some coupling device, used to transmit or receive signals through telephone lines.
(8)	'Volume control handset' means a telephone handset or other telephone listening device which has an adjustable control for increasing the volume of the sound being produced by the telephone receiving unit."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 143B-216.33(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	There is created within the Department of Human Resources, the Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing.  The Division has the powers and duties including the following:
(1)	To review existing programs for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing in the State, and make recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources and to the Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction for improvements to such programs;
(2)	To provide comprehensive residential and nonresidential educational program services for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, aged birth to 21 years of age.  These programs shall be in compliance with the Department of Public Instruction Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Special Needs, and with G.S. 115C-325;
(3)	To provide a network of resource centers for local access to services such as interpreters, information and referral, telephone relay, and advocacy for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
(4)	To collect, study, maintain, publish and disseminate information relative to all aspects of deafness;
(5)	To promote public awareness of the needs of, resources and opportunities available to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
(6)	To provide technical assistance to agencies and organizations in the development of services to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
(7)	To administer the Telecommunications Program for the Deaf pursuant to G.S. 143B-216.34; 
(8)	To establish training and evaluation standards for determination of competency of individuals serving as interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
(9)	To establish for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, aged birth to 21 years of age, training and certification of programs to promote American Sign Language as an optional language.  These programs shall be in compliance with the Department of Public Instruction Procedures Governing Programs and Services for Children with Special Needs.  American Sign Language may be offered as a modern language with credit for individuals in the State's public schools and universities."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 115C-81 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"( a5)	American Sign Language, as defined in G.S. 143B-216.30, may be offered in the public schools as a modern language with credit for individuals attending public schools and, if offered, shall be conducted under guidelines to be developed by the State Board of Education with the cooperation of the Department of Human Resources, Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing."
Sec. 4. Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"ARTICLE 32.
"American Sign Language.
"§ 116-255.  American Sign Language.
American Sign Language, as defined in G.S. 143B-216.30, may be offered by the constituent institutions as a modern language with credit for individuals attending constituent institutions and, if offered, shall be conducted under guidelines to be developed by the Board with the cooperation of the Department of Human Resources, Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing."
Sec. 5.  This act is effective upon ratification.