Posted March 2, 2005 SB 454 (ASL Bill) Introduced and Referred to Senate Education Committee

At the request of the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Senator John Loudon of Ballwin introduced Senate Bill 454 on 2/28/05. SB 454 is the companion bill to HB 530, and if passed would give students in all public educational institutions in Missouri credit for taking American Sign Language (ASL) classes if those classes are offered in the regular curriculum of the institutions. It would also allow students to earn ASL credit by proficiency if an educational institution offers courses in ASL. And it would allow students to use ASL to satisfy “foreign language” or “language arts” admission and graduation requirements at any public institution of higher education in Missouri. SB 454 was read a second time on 3/2/05 and referred to the Senate Education Committee. We will inform you if and when this bill is scheduled for a public hearing. As I have mentioned before, MCDHH wants to do everything possible to get an ASL bill passed this year. Therefore I am asking everyone who supports passage of an ASL bill to send an e-mail, fax, or regular letter to me (see contact information below) indicating their support for passing legislation this year that would give "foreign language" credit to students taking ASL classes in all public educational institutions in Missouri. I have already received over 100 e-mails and letters in support of HB 530, but I need a lot more than that in order to show legislators an overwhelming demand for passage of an ASL bill. Please help spread the word that support letters are needed! In your letters of support please indicate not only that you support the companion bills HB 530 and SB 454, but also why you support the bills. Please send me those letters/e-mails/faxes of support as soon as possible as I want to be prepared to show those letters to various legislators and members of the committees to which those bills have been referred.

For more information about legislation/issues, contact MCDHH@mcdhh.mo.gov This report is being posted by the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 3-2-05