During this session, the legislature considered several bills relating to the needs of people who are deaf and hard of hearing. At this stage of the session, only one remains active.
If we missed a bill of importance to the deaf community, or if you know of something else going on in the legislature that you think we should know about, please let us know. Contact us at info@dlcv.org or by calling 1-800-552-3962 or 804-225-2042.
Developments last week
SB 423 (DeSteph) is the only bill relating to the needs of Virginians who are deaf or hard of hearing that is still active. The proposal requires health insurance carriers to offer coverage for hearing aids for minors, one per ear, every 24 months. The bill was approved by the Senate, and by the House Committee on Commerce and Labor. The measure was then approved and amended in the House Committee on Appropriations. It now must be approved by the full House and then returned to the Senate to accept the amendments. The amendment limits coverage to those hearing aids prescribed by appropriate doctors. A similar bill, HB 1594 (Cole), was carried over to 2021 (defeated) by the House Committee on Commerce and Labor, earlier in the session. SB 423 has a fiscal impact, so whether the bill continues to survive may depend on whether the Senate budget amendment supporting the bill survives at the end of session.
SB 564 (Edwards) would have allowed the advisory committee to the Virginia Hearing Loss Identification and Monitoring System to create language development milestones for use by educators of children with hearing loss, up to age five. The bill was approved by the full Senate and by the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, but was tabled by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations. The bill had a price tag of more than $300,000, primarily for technology and data requirements and related staffing. Funding for the bill was included in the Senate budget amendments. Nonetheless, the bill died in the House’s money committee.
The mission of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation.