MINUTES OF THE

      ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      April 21, 1993

 

 

 

The Assembly Committee on Education was called to order by Chairman Wendell P. Williams, at 3:36 p.m., on Wednesday, April 21, 1993, in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Mr. Wendell P. Williams, Chairman

      Mr. Ken L. Haller, Vice Chairman

      Mrs. Vonne Chowning

      Mr. Tom Collins, Jr.

      Mrs. Marcia de Braga

      Mr. William D. Gregory

      Mr. Roy Neighbors

      Mr. Michael A. Schneider

      Mrs. Gene W. Segerblom

      Ms. Sandra Tiffany

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

      Mr. James W. McGaughey  (excused)

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

      Assemblyman Larry Spitler, District 41

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Donald Williams, Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

      Mary Paradeso, Nevada Association of the Deaf

      Catherine Anne Black, Special Student Advisory, CCSN

      Carolyne Edwards, Clark County School District

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 402 -     Requires university student who participates as member of varsity athletic team to make satisfactory progress toward obtaining degree.    

 

Chairman Williams explained AB 402 which was heard and voted on in Las Vegas would require a vote by the committee to ratify it.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN NEIGHBORS MOVED TO DO PASS AB 402.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN COLLINS SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 288 -     Provides for distribution of money used for programs of occupational education and requires establishment of certain pilot programs for occupational education.

 

Chairman Williams asked for committee action on the bill and stated the bill was concurrently referred to the Ways and Means Committee.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN HALLER MOVED TO DO PASS AB 288.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN WILLIAMS SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED WITH MS. TIFFANY VOTING NO.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 207 -     Requires establishment of course of study in American Sign Language in public schools.

 

Assemblyman Larry Spitler, District 41, referred to an amendment with new language which replaced the entire bill (Exhibit C).  Mr. Spitler pointed out Catherine Black would be "signing" during the hearing for Mary Paradeso, the secretary for the Nevada Association for the Deaf. 

 

Mr. Spitler explained he became involved with the deaf community as a result of legislation which was passed regarding "TDDs" for the hearing impaired.  In 1991, legislation was passed to include the Deaf Relay Center which had currently moved to Nevada approximately one year ahead of deadline with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

 

Mr. Spitler acknowledged Nevada was one of eleven states which did not have some form of American Sign Language (ASL) given for credit as a foreign language.  Mr. Spitler indicated credit for the proposed amendment should be given to Jackie Taylor-Sooder from the Sign Design Theater.  In his opinion, Mr. Spitler maintained if the bill was passed, the concept could be built upon and the fiscal note was only $4,200.  Mr. Spitler remarked the original bill required the department of education to establish a course in ASL the first year and in 1995 the board was to recommend whether the course should be implemented in high school, junior high or elementary school.

 

Mr. Spitler pointed out the proposed amendment required the superintendent of public instruction and the Department of Human Resources to establish a task force to study and recommend the feasibility of implementing course work in ASL in secondary and postsecondary schools for credit as a foreign language, and as a special course at the elementary level.  The task force would convene in July of 1993 and submit the completed report and recommendations to the Legislative Commission in November of 1994. 

 

Mr. Spitler clarified the task force would be comprised of members representing the deaf community in Nevada.  A main priority of the task force would be for the members to compile and analyze legislation from other states which had enacted ASL as a foreign language for the purpose of educational credit.  Mr. Spitler remarked Donnie Loux of the Rehabilitation Division had been extremely effective in meeting with the deaf community to determine the needs of the community.

 

Mr. Spitler summarized task force members would serve at no cost to the state with the exception that the chairman of the task force would be required to convene four meetings of the full membership for which airfare and per diem would be reimbursed if necessary.  Mr. Spitler concluded attached to the proposed amendment (Exhibit C) was an update of other states which recognized ASL as a foreign language.

 

Mr. Schneider disclosed the bill was backed by Christopher Donohue, a mortgage banker from whom he borrowed substantial amounts of money for his construction projects.  Mr. Schneider remarked it would not influence his vote; however, he wanted the disclosure on the record.

 

Ms. Tiffany expressed concern with too many "soft courses" being requested which might subtract from the hard-core curriculum and she questioned who would set the priorities.  Mr. Spitler responded for many years members of the deaf community were not welcome in society and had literally been put "on the back burner."  According to Mr. Spitler, many members of the deaf community had no parody in terms of communication and from an educational perspective, communication should be one of the main priorities for all citizens.

 

Ms. Tiffany questioned if the problem should be put "on the back of the educators" as opposed to outside such as an elective offered by the community colleges.  Mr. Spitler replied there would always be competition for money and education, yet by adding signing as part of the core to the curricula, it would allow deaf citizens to participate in classes offered to everyone.  Ms. Tiffany suggested offering ASL as an option at the community colleges as opposed to "bumping" the core curriculum classes of reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Mr. Spitler pointed out currently ASL was being taught voluntarily in churches, community colleges, and certain high schools; however, a standardized program would be necessary in order to go forward on a credit basis.

 

Mrs. Chowning commented she previously taught both Spanish and French which had opened up a new world of communication and, in her opinion, ASL should be considered on the same level as a foreign language.

 

Mr. Neighbors commented the general fund budget was over $1 billion and he stated the $4,200 was a minimal request which he felt should be met.

 

Mary Paradeso, Nevada Association of the Deaf, presented testimony in support of the bill through her interpreter, Catherine Black, Special Student Advisor.  Mrs. Paradeso emphasized the importance of the deaf being able to communicate with the general public.  Mrs. Paradeso was concerned with younger deaf children being rejected by their peers due to the lack of communication.  If students had the opportunity to learn how to sign at an early age, the communication gap with the deaf could be greatly reduced.

 

Mrs. Black explained she was the foster parent of two deaf boys who were fortunate enough to have signing in their classrooms.  However, when they were on the playground there was no interpreter to aid in communication with the other children and many situations involving trouble occurred.  Deaf children were inclined to be socially immature due to the lack of social experience other children had obtained. 

 

Mrs. Black pointed out legislation had been passed in conjunction with the ADA but there were few opportunities to train interpreters.  There were courses in ASL offered at various community colleges; however, since the courses were not required, certain restrictions applied since ASL was not part of the course of study.

 

Mrs. Black clarified ADA was now required in most businesses which made an individual fluent in ASL very employable in order for businesses to comply with the ADA.  Mrs. Black acknowledged ASL was the second or third most spoken language in America since there were approximately 28 million hearing impaired citizens throughout the country.  According to Mrs. Black, 44,000 lived in Nevada.

 

Mrs. Black stressed there was a severe shortage of interpreters and the passage of AB 207 would have a tremendous favorable impact on not only the deaf community, but the entire hearing community.

 

Mrs. Paradeso remarked deaf children in the mainstream classroom normally had an interpreter.  In many cases, the children became too dependent on the interpreter and did not socialize with their peers.   

 

Mrs. Black read verbatim a letter from Christopher Donohue, President of the Hearing Impaired Program Parents Advisory Committee (HIPPAC) (Exhibit D).  Mrs. Black commented the letter was in full support of the bill since the proposed study would provide the public with an ability to understand and accept sign language as a valid communication form.

 

Mrs. Paradeso called attention to the importance of interpreters being trained through the colleges since the interpreters from the churches had a tendency to "over help."  Mrs. Paradeso stressed the need for professional interpreters rather than interpreters who pitied the deaf.

 

Mrs. Segerblom pointed out the need for productive citizens and AB 207 could be a positive step in achieving such a goal.

 

Ms. Tiffany questioned if ASL was accepted as a foreign language for college entrance.  Mr. Spitler replied Nevada was one of the eleven states who did not give credit for ASL as a foreign language.  Mr. Spitler emphasized the ultimate goal of the bill was to receive credit for ASL as a foreign language.

 

Ms. Tiffany justified French was a romantic language which taught an individual structure and, in her opinion, should not be placed in the same category as ASL.  Mrs. Black responded an application which contained French as a foreign language did not make an individual as employable as an application which included Spanish or ASL.  Mrs. Black commented the study of "any" foreign language enhanced an individual's ability to speak and become articulate.  Ms. Tiffany mentioned she had worked in Southern California at a Fortune 500 company where Spanish was frequently spoken; however, the language was not necessarily an employment requirement nor did it help an individual in any particular position for a promotion.  Mrs. Black pointed out with the new ADA requirements, many businesses could not afford to hire private interpreters and they would prefer to hire individuals already trained, along with economically saving money.

 

Mrs. Paradeso clarified her daughter was employed by a bank in Ohio and after her employer discovered she was skilled in ASL, she received a raise.  Mrs. Black concluded the state of Nevada paid an additional 10 percent if an employee spoke a foreign language; however, ASL was not included.

 

Carolyne Edwards, Clark County School District, also spoke on behalf of the Nevada State Education Association, and urged the committee to support the bill.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN SCHNEIDER MOVED TO AMEND, DO PASS, AND REREFER

      AB 207.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN HALLER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

Mrs. de Braga asked if the 10 percent additional funds for employees who were skilled in ASL would be included in the study.  Mrs. Black responded it would be analyzed within the study if the bill was passed.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 191 -     Requires board of regents of University of Nevada System to report to director of legislative counsel bureau concerning certain activities of police department for University of Nevada System.

 

Mr. Collins referred to the proposed amendment to the bill (Exhibit E).  Mr. Collins indicated all parties involved were in agreement with the amendment.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN HALLER MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS AB 191.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN SEGERBLOM SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:17 p.m.

     

                             RESPECTFULLY  SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                                                         

                            Marilyn Cole, Committee Secretary

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Assembly Committee on Education

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Assembly Committee on Education

Date:  April 21, 1993

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