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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1


 

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    WHEREAS, The provision of a free appropriate public 
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education (FAPE) for a student with hearing loss can only occur 
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with full communication access to education; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Full communication access depends upon a 
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language-rich environment that fosters age-appropriate 
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communication and language development, utilizes 
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language-proficient educational staff, and provides for direct 
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communication with staff and peers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing 
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face unique and significant barriers related to language and 
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communication that profoundly affect most aspects of the 
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educational process; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Attending to a student's communication needs and 
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language development is a vital prerequisite for access to 
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educational opportunities that lead to literacy and academic 
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achievement; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Joint Task 
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Force on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Options, consisting 
 


 






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of fifteen members appointed as follows: the Speaker of the 
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House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of 
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Representatives, President of the Senate, and Minority Leader 
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of the Senate shall each appoint one member; the Illinois Deaf 
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and Hard of Hearing Commission, the Illinois State Board of 
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Education, the Illinois Department of Human Services-Early 
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Intervention, the Illinois Department of Human 
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Services-Illinois School for the Deaf, and the Illinois 
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Department of Public Health-Newborn Hearing Screening Program 
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shall each appoint one member; and additionally, the Illinois 
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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission shall appoint an additional 
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6 members from various agencies serving the deaf and hard of 
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hearing population; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That all members of the Task Force shall serve 
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without compensation; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That all members of the Communication Options 
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Committee established by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 
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Commission with the collaboration of the State Board of 
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Education shall continue in their representation on the Joint 
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Task Force on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Options; and 
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be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force can appoint members as it 
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sees fit to serve as representatives of the deaf and hard of 
 


 






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hearing population of Illinois or parents of children with 
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hearing loss representing each of the following communication 
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options: Oral/aural, Cued Speech, Total Communication, 
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American Sign Language, and tactile sign language; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the duty of the Task Force is to undertake a 
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comprehensive and thorough review of education and services 
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available to the deaf or hard of hearing children in Illinois 
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with the intent of making recommendations that would recognize 
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communication as fundamental to a deaf or hard of hearing 
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child's most basic of needs; ensure communication-driven 
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service delivery of the early intervention system and the 
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public education system with programs and services addressing 
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the unique communication needs of each child through 
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communication assessment, development, and access; establish 
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uniform methods and procedures within the early intervention 
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system and the public education system that shall be non-biased 
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and well-informed when sharing information with children and 
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their families on the available communication options and 
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community resource awareness; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force, working with the Illinois 
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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission, the Illinois State Board 
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of Education, the Early Intervention System, the Illinois 
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School for the Deaf, and the Newborn Hearing Screening Program,  
 


 






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shall assist those entities in developing interagency 
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agreements and programs and procedures regarding universal, 
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early identification of hearing loss and effective interface 
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between medical and educational services; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Illinois State Board of Education, the 
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Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Deaf 
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and Hard of Hearing Commission shall collectively administer 
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and prepare all reports deemed necessary in conjunction with 
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the Task Force actively; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force may request assistance from 
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any entity necessary or useful for the performance of its 
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duties; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report with its 
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recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December 
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31, 2007.