Connecticut HB 5487: AN ACT CONCERNING THE OFFICE OF HEALTH STRATEGY'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO HOSPITAL OR HEALTH SYSTEM FACILITY FEES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5487
February Session, 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
EDUCATION WORKING GROUP AND INCREASING STATE
ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY
IMPAIRED AND DEAF.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2027) (a) The Department of 1
Education shall establish an American Sign Language education 2
working group which shall consist of (1) a representative from each of 3
the following: The Departments of Education and Aging and Disability 4
Services, the Labor Department, the Office of Higher Education, the 5
Connecticut Council of Language Teachers, the American School for the 6
Deaf and the Connecticut Association of the Deaf, and (2) at least one 7
American Sign Language instructor who teaches in a public school in 8
the state. 9
(b) The working group shall provide recommendations to the 10
Department of Education regarding the following: 11
(1) Curriculum guidance for American Sign Language instruction 12
that includes, but is not limited to, aligning such curriculum with 13
nationally recognized proficiency frameworks; 14
(2) Teacher certification standards based on standards established by 15
the American Sign Language Teachers Association and the American 16

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Sign Language Proficiency Interview that includes, but is not limited to, 17
(A) establishment of a proficiency benchmark, (B) recognition of an 18
alternative certification pathway for native American Sign Language 19
users and interpreters, and (C) reciprocity with American Sign 20
Language teaching certifications from other states; and 21
(3) Guidance to educator preparation programs in the state 22
concerning, but not limited to, the (A) expansion of American Sign 23
Language and interpretation education programs, (B) creation of 24
educational incentives, such as tuition support, credit enhancement or 25
alternative programs, and (C) establishment of bridge, endorsement or 26
alternative programs for native American Sign Language users and 27
certified interpreters seeking teacher certification. 28
(c) Not later than January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the 29
Department of Education shall submit a progress report, in accordance 30
with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 31
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 32
matters relating to education and human services concerning the work 33
of the American Sign Language education working group. 34
Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 17a-812 of the general statutes is 35
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 36
2026): 37
(d) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may expend 38
up to [ten] fourteen thousand dollars per fiscal year per person twenty-39
one years of age or older who is both blind or visually impaired and 40
deaf, in addition to any other expenditures for such person, for the 41
purpose of providing community inclusion services through specialized 42
public and private entities from which such person can benefit. The 43
commissioner may determine the criteria by which a person is eligible 44
to receive specialized services and may adopt regulations necessary to 45
carry out the provisions of this subsection. For purposes of this 46
subsection, "community inclusion services" means the assistance 47
provided to persons with disabilities to enable them to connect with 48

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their peers without disabilities and with the community at large. 49
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 January 1, 2027 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 17a-812(d)

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
The title was changed; and in Section 1(b)(3)(B), "alternative route
programs" was changed to "alternative programs" for consistency.

HS Joint Favorable Subst.