H.B. 392

1

TRAINING IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
2 1998 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Dave Hogue
5 AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; h [ REQUIRING ] PROVIDING FOR h THE
5a TEACHING OF
6 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN THE STATE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AT
7 LEAST AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL h [ AND ] OR h HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL; AND PROVIDING
8 THAT A STUDENT WHO COMPLETES AN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE COURSE
9 AT THAT LEVEL MAY COUNT IT TO SATISFY A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
10 REQUIREMENT.
11 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
12 AMENDS:
13 53A-13-101.5, as enacted by Chapter 52, Laws of Utah 1994
14 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
15 Section 1. Section 53A-13-101.5 is amended to read:
16 53A-13-101.5. Teaching of American sign language.
17 (1) The Legislature recognizes that American sign language is a fully developed,
18 autonomous, natural language with distinct grammar, syntax, and art forms.
19 (2) American sign language shall be accorded equal status with other linguistic systems
20 in the state's public and higher education systems.
21 (3) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the state's school districts and
22 members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, shall develop and implement policies and
23 procedures for the teaching of American sign language in the state's public education system at
24 least at the middle school h [ and ] OR h high school level.
25 (4) A student may count credit received for completion of a course in American sign
26 language at the middle school or high school level towards the satisfaction of a foreign language
27 requirement in the public education system under rules made by the State Board of Education.

lilac-February 18, 1998

1 (5) The State Board of Regents, in consultation with the state's public institutions of higher
2 education and members of the state's deaf and hard of hearing community, shall develop and
3 implement policies and procedures for offering instruction in American sign language in the state's
4 system of higher education consistent with the master plan for higher education under Section
5 53B-6-101.
6 (6) The Joint Liaison Committee, in consultation with members of the state's deaf and hard
7 of hearing community, shall review any policies and procedures developed under this section and
8 make recommendations to either or both boards regarding the policies.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-5-98 11:38 AM

A limited legal review of this bill raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

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