View Bill Status
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
SCR102.........................................................by EDUCATION
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE - Stating findings of the Legislature and
encouraging Idaho public schools and public and private institutions of
higher education to recognize American Sign Language coursework for foreign
language credit and encouraging the State Board of Education, the State
Department of Education and the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to
confer, collaborate and provide information for the inclusion of American
Sign Language as foreign language credit in high school and to determine
ways and incentives in which public and private institutions of higher
education might be encouraged to accept successfully completed coursework
in American Sign Language for foreign language credit.
01/26 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/29 Rpt prt - to 10th Ord
01/30 10th Ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
Floor Sponsor - Jorgenson
Title apvd - to House
01/31 House intro - 1st rdg - to Educ
02/15 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/16 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/20 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote
Floor Sponsor - Shirley
Title apvd - to Senate
02/21 To enrol
02/22 Rpt enrol - Pres signed
02/23 Sp signed
02/26 To Secretary of State
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-ninth Legislature First Regular Session - 2007
IN THE SENATE
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 102
BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND ENCOURAGING THE IDAHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
3 AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO RECOGNIZE AMER-
4 ICAN SIGN LANGUAGE COURSEWORK FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE CREDIT AND ENCOURAGING
5 THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE
6 COUNCIL FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING TO CONFER, COLLABORATE AND PRO-
7 VIDE INFORMATION FOR THE INCLUSION OF AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AS FOREIGN
8 LANGUAGE CREDIT FOR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND TO DETERMINE WAYS AND INCEN-
9 TIVES IN WHICH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION MIGHT
10 BE ENCOURAGED TO ACCEPT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED COURSEWORK IN AMERICAN SIGN
11 LANGUAGE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE CREDIT.
12 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
13 WHEREAS, the unique social, cultural and linguistic heritage of the deaf
14 community and its substantial contribution to the enrichment and diversity of
15 our society is recognized; and
16 WHEREAS, over the last decades, a significant and growing body of scien-
17 tific inquiry into American Sign Language (ASL) has been undertaken with the
18 result that ASL is now recognized as a separate and complete language with its
19 own unique grammar and syntax; and
20 WHEREAS, ASL is one of the most commonly used languages in the United
21 States, and there is significant and growing interest by the general public in
22 learning ASL; and
23 WHEREAS, the legislative bodies of many states have formally recognized
24 ASL; and
25 WHEREAS, many states accept ASL coursework for foreign language credit
26 throughout their state educational systems, kindergarten through college; and
27 WHEREAS, learning and communicating with ASL contributes to a greater
28 understanding of the social and cultural aspects of deafness, the promotion of
29 better communication between hearing people and deaf people who use ASL and
30 the advancement of the full inclusion and participation of deaf people who use
31 ASL in every area of society.
32 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session
33 of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Representa-
34 tives concurring therein, that public schools and public and private institu-
35 tions of higher education in Idaho are encouraged to recognize American Sign
36 Language coursework for foreign language credit. The Legislature further
37 encourages the State Board of Education, the State Department of Education and
38 the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to confer, collaborate and pro-
39 vide information for the inclusion of American Sign Language among the foreign
40 language courses approved for foreign language credit for the high school
41 diploma and to determine ways and incentives that might encourage public and
42 private institutions of higher education to accept successfully completed
43 coursework in American Sign Language for foreign language credit.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 16558
The purpose of this Concurrent Resolution is to recognize American
Sign Language (ASL) as a separate and complete language with its
own unique grammar and syntax, and encourage public and private
schools and institutions of higher education to offer students
foreign language credit for ASL courses.
FISCAL NOTE
There is no fiscal impact.
Contact
Name: Wes Maynard, Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Phone: 208-334-0879
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE SCR 102