All meetings take place in the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Hartford, CT. Information about any legislative activities need to be distributed as fast as quickly. Sometimes public hearing sessions on upcoming bills concerning the Deaf and Hard of hearing CT residents would happen on short notice.

SUPPORT OR OPPOSE THESE BILLS AFFECTING DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE

• Please attend the Public Hearing if any of the announcements appear during the legislation session and if possible with your testimony. Make fifty (50) copies. Check the schedule of these Public Hearing events at the CT General Assembly web site. 
  
  
• When you browse the CT General Assembly web site, please be sure to see the quick search at the top of the homepage, and type the bill number. You will see the page of the bill and click "ADD NOTES" to leave your message in supporting or opposing the bill proposal.
  
  
• If you cannot attend, please write letters of support or opposition to the legislators who are on the committees of these bill proposals. Find the proper committee members in the CT Gov website or if you cannot make it in person to testify, you can submit your testimony by mail or email to the committee members. HINT: Go to http://www.cga.ct.gov, to find the names of committee members under COMMITEES ( A to Z).

Commission on Deaf & Hearing Impaired (CDHI)
Legislative Bill for 2008

CDHI has received an approval for the legislative proposal from Office of Policy and Management and the Governor's office. The proposal is essentially the same one that CDHI proposed last year.  The Governor's proposed budget adjustments for 2008 and 2009 can be
viewed on the state home page at www.ct.gov Scroll down to the first
link.

The proposed budget adjustments can also be viewed on the legislative
branch website www.cga.ct.gov, fill in # 5021 in the blank for Bill
Number.

There are no changes or adjustments in the budgets proposed for CDHI,
BESB, OPA or ASD.

as of 3/14/08...Diane Wixted, Supervisor, Counseling Department, Commission on Deaf and Hearing Impaired (Thanks, Diane, for keeping us updated)

FYI - go to www.cga.ct.gov and put the bill number in the blank to read
the language of the bill.

HB 5797 -AAC the Availability of Qualified Interpreters has been voted
out of the Human Services Committee with substitute language
unanimously! The bill will now be referred to the floor of the House of
Representatives......no schedule on when it will be taken up for a vote
(or further referral to another committee).

The only change is in the definition of a "deaf or hearing impaired
person". The rest of the bill remains as originally proposed......this
is probably due to the strong opposition of other groups regarding other
recommended changes which could block it's passage.

If we can get this passed this year as it is currently written, we can
monitor and document any problems that arise.....then re-visit the
language in the future.

The name of the proposal is " An Act Concerning the Availability of Qualified Interpreter Services".  Raised Bill no. 5797  (see the above on how to look it up in the state website regarding this bill.)

The purpose of the bill is to insure that deaf and hard of hearing ASL users who are victims, witnesses, suspects or parents of minor children in police matters or court proceedings, are granted their rights to the services of sign language interpreters when they are in these situations. Read about the bill proposal.

Read more about the Governor Rell's budget at the state home page . The CDHI budget has been left unchanged, as well as Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) and Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA). Some changes in other agencies.

Highlights:

Increase funding for Criminal Justice Reform including Dept of Correction, rehabilation and early release programs, youth and juvenile programs.

Split the Dept of Transportation into two divisions: Dept of Highways and Dept of Transportation, Aviation and Ports.

Hiring more state troopers, Dept of Transportation engineers and inspectors for bridge repairs, expanding truck safety.

Limit Property Tax cap and eliminate the Business Entity Tax.

House and Sente bills may affect the deaf and hard of hearing community. Be sure to keep an eye on the bill proposals at the General Assembly web site. If you have any information or want to discuss about these bill proposals, please contact any of CCOSD representatives.

To provide necessary funding to towns to cover special education costs.
( EDUCATION Committee)

Note: This fund may be related to support services; interpreters or CART.

To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. (HUMAN SERVICES Committee)

Note: This proposal may be benefical for deaf people to require ASL interpreters at the DSS or the DSS should hire a representative for the deaf.

To allow blind or physically disabled state or quasi-public employees to use accumulated paid sick leave time to learn to handle their guide or assistance dog. (LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES)