{"id":30298,"date":"2015-03-20T15:48:36","date_gmt":"2015-03-20T20:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=30298"},"modified":"2015-03-20T15:48:36","modified_gmt":"2015-03-20T20:48:36","slug":"texas-hands-voices-legislative-updates-march-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2015\/03\/20\/texas-hands-voices-legislative-updates-march-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Hands & Voices: Legislative Updates – March 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"texas<\/a><\/p>\n

Legislative Updates – March 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Texas Hands & Voices<\/p>\n

We would like to update you on some legislation that will impact deaf and hard of hearing children in the US and in Texas. Please take a minute to review the following and then contact your Senators and Representatives! NCHAM has some talking points and sample letters for you to consider when communicating with your legislators – http:\/\/www.infanthearing.org\/legislation\/hearingaid.html<\/a><\/p>\n

US HR 1344<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Tuesday, March 10th, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY) and Congresswoman Lois Capps (CA) introduced HR 1344 in the House of Representatives to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a program for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment regarding deaf and hard-of-hearing newborns, infants, and young children (EHDI).<\/p>\n

Why is this important? In Texas there were approx 950 infants diagnosed deaf or hard of hearing in 2014. (approx 2-3 infants out of 1000 births). Those families had to get from screening to early intervention some how- with the connections and support (professional support, parent peer support, and system support) provided by the federal EHDI and State EHDI programs these children and their families now have equal opportunity. That’s huge!<\/p>\n

Updated information about the status of the bill, including cosponsors can be found at
\nhttps:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/114th-congress\/house-bill\/1344<\/a><\/p>\n

How can you help ensure the success of the EHDI Reauthorization Act (HR 1344)?<\/p>\n

Contact your Congressman or Congresswoman and ask them to sign on as a cosponsor of HR 1344. Generally, the more cosponsors a bill has, the more quickly it can become a law.<\/p>\n

Find your Representative at http:\/\/www.house.gov\/representatives\/find\/<\/a>. Click on the link under his or her picture to visit their website and get their telephone number. It is generally most effective to call the DC office. Phone calls have been shown to be more effective than emails and letters.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/114th-congress\/house-bill\/1344<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas HB 2979<\/strong><\/p>\n

Texas HB 2979<\/strong> has been introduced to require private insurance to cover hearing aids for children through age 18.<\/p>\n

This bill will need co-sponsors and a strong parent voice to pass! YOU as a voter have the power to influence the outcome of this legislation! Please call, email and send letters!<\/p>\n

Your Texas House of Representatives can be found here<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.house.gov\/representatives\/#state_tx<\/a><\/p>\n

If you would like some talking points please visit the NCHAM page here
\nhttp:\/\/www.infanthearing.org\/legislation\/hearingaid.html<\/a><\/p>\n

And see the table of mandates by state here<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.infanthearing.org\/legislative\/summary\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Click the link see the bill and follow its progress!<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/BillLookup\/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB2979<\/a><\/p>\n

At My TLO (Texas Legislature Online) you can Create a list of bills that you would like to watch. Each time you run the list, the bill information is updated.<\/p>\n

Enter bills on the alert list, be notified of committee and calendar postings, be notified when bills are assigned subjects of interest, be notified when the house or senate adjourn.<\/p>\n

Access a mobile version of TLO, Who Represents Me, and DistrictViewer on an iPhone, iPad, or other mobile device. From the mobile device browser, enter http:\/\/www.txlegis.com\/<\/a>. NOTE: Some applications or features within an application may not be accessible on all mobile devices.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.legis.state.tx.us\/mytlo\/pda\/mobilepda.aspx<\/a> (mobile)<\/p>\n

More …<\/p>\n

Your Texas Senators
\nhttp:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/MnuSenate.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

Your Texas House of Representatives
\nhttp:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/MnuHouse.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

US Senators – Texas
\nhttp:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/MnuHouse.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

US Representatives – Texas
\nhttp:\/\/www.house.gov\/representatives\/#state_tx<\/a><\/p>\n

The following bills may or may not apply to your family:<\/p>\n

Texas SB 219<\/strong> updating Texas statutes relating to the provision and administration of health and human services. A section of this bill relates to midwifery regulations and newborn hearing screening.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/BillLookup\/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=SB219<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas SB 1664<\/strong> the Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program will give people with disabilities diagnosed before the age of 26 the ability to save up to $100,000 in a tax free savings account.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/BillLookup\/History.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=SB1664<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas HB 2463<\/strong> outlines the movement of blindness services (including deaf blindness) to separate agencies as per recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.capitol.state.tx.us\/BillLookup\/History.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB2463<\/a><\/p>\n

The Alliance of and for Visually Impaired Texans (AVIT), a coalition of 28 organizations of and for persons with blindness or visual impairment, strongly urges the continuation of all programs serving this population, Alliance of and for Visually Impaired Texans\u00a0for individuals who are blind to remain together to ensure high quality programs with positive outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of service delivery to the children and adults of Texas who are blind or visually impaired.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/alliancevitexans.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Legislative Updates – March 2015 By Texas Hands & Voices We would like to update you on some legislation that will impact deaf and hard of hearing children in the US and in Texas. Please take a minute to review…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[23352,23348,23349,23361,3748,872,23362,23359,23363,23351,7406,23350,23358,23357,23355,23353,23354,23356,23360],"class_list":["post-30298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-able","tag-alliance-of-and-for-visually-impaired-texans","tag-avit","tag-brett-guthrie","tag-ehdi","tag-legislative","tag-lois-capps","tag-ncham","tag-public-health-service-act","tag-texas-achieving-a-better-life-experience","tag-texas-hands-voices","tag-texas-hb-2463","tag-texas-hb-2979","tag-texas-house-of-representatives","tag-texas-legislature-online","tag-texas-sb-1664","tag-texas-sb-219","tag-tlo","tag-us-hr-1344"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-7SG","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43862,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2023\/03\/24\/course-101-understanding-hb3458-sb2364\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":0},"title":"Course 101: Understanding HB3458 & SB2364","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"March 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Course 101: Understanding HB3458 & SB2364 (An attempt to change the TSD Board) Authors of the bills are Representative Brad Buckley and Senator Donna Campbell Combined bills on one paper (Akin to having Siamese twins) (See the document in PDF format) Where are we now during the Texas 88th Legislature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/bill-stages-online-screenshot.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/bill-stages-online-screenshot.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/bill-stages-online-screenshot.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/bill-stages-online-screenshot.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6392,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/05\/05\/hb-978-updated\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":1},"title":"HB 978 Updated","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"May 5, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Texas House Bill 978 \u2013 Texans with Disabilities Act Update! Texas House Bill (HB) 978, the Texans with Disabilities Act is now being read on the House floor \u2013 Today! This is good news. It means that HB 978 is moving through the legislative process. However, anything can happen. To\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7577,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/09\/02\/new-traffic-criminal-laws-set-to-go-into-effect-september-1-2009-texas-only\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":2},"title":"New traffic, criminal laws set to go into effect September 1, 2009","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"September 2, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"New traffic, criminal laws set to go into effect September 1, 2009 (Texas Only) HB 2730 is the DPS's Sunset Legislation, and many of the DPS-related bills this session were included in HB 2730. Notable traffic and criminal laws that go into effect on Sept. 1 (unless otherwise indicated) include*:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6520,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2009\/05\/19\/hb-978-still-needs-your-help-to-become-law\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":3},"title":"HB 978 still needs your help to become law","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"May 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"For Immediate Release! May 18, 2009 TEXAS ROCKS! TEXAS HOUSE BILL (HB) 978, THE TEXANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, PASSES HOUSE WITH BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT AND IS NOW IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND COMMERCE. HB 978 still needs your help to become law: We just learned today that HB 978\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41287,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2020\/10\/09\/lunch-learn-webinar-2020-2021-by-texas-hands-voices\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":4},"title":"Lunch & Learn Webinar 2020\/2021 by Texas Hands & Voices","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"October 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Save the Date\u2026 Lunch & Learn Webinars! Webinar events for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and the professionals who serve them. Hosted by Texas Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side (GBYS) Please register at https:\/\/txhv.org\/webinars 2020 Monday, November 2, 2020 at 12:00 pm\/CST HB\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Save_the_Date20-21Webinars-jpeg.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33970,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2016\/08\/04\/legislation-please-watch-activities-for-deaf-children\/","url_meta":{"origin":30298,"position":5},"title":"Legislation: Please Watch activities for Deaf Children","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"August 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Legislation: Please watch activities for deaf children here. \u00a0 There are several legislative issues potentially affecting our children and families right now. Please contact your Senators and Representatives to let them know which you support or oppose! \u00a0 NCHAM has some talking points and sample letters for you to consider\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30298"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30300,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30298\/revisions\/30300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}