| Whereas, American
Sign Language (ASL) has been appropriately recognized by the Missouri
General Assembly as "a fully developed, autonomous, unique, visual-gestural
language with its own syntax, rhetoric, grammar and morphology" (Section
209.285, RSMo); and
Whereas, there are an estimated
546,000 persons in Missouri who are deaf or hard of hearing, of whom
approximately 10,000 have American Sign Language (ASL) as their first or
native language; and
Whereas, the Missouri General
Assembly truly values the socio, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic
diversity of its citizenry:
Now, therefore, be it resolved
that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-first
General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein,
hereby recognize American Sign Language as the first or native language
of many of its deaf and hard of hearing citizens; and
Be it further resolved that the
members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-first General
Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby
urge the Governor to establish by executive order an annual "Deaf
Awareness Week" to be held in September of each year to coincide with
the International Deaf Awareness Week, at which time the language,
culture, and contributions of Missouri's deaf and hard of hearing
citizens will be recognized; and
Be it further resolved that the
Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to
prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for Governor Bob
Holden. |
