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ACTION ALERT! Due to the fact that the bill will be heard this MONDAY, prompt action is needed.

Letters from all organizations, and individuals here and elsewhere, need to be written up, and FAXED to each Senator on the Appropriations Committee (see list below). The hearing will take place this MONDAY and information will be soon posted on the www.opposeab2072.com site.

Right now, we need FULL PARTICIPATION by all in our Community of parents and deaf individuals to FAX and make phone calls. Below is a list of reasons focusing on the “costs” aspect and letters should be limited to one page only.

The following list is the reasons why we continue to oppose AB 2072 as amended:

1. The Senate health committee worked on several amendments during the hearing. One of which was the OpposeAB2072 Community of Parents and Deaf Community to change the language from visual language to American Sign Language. English and ASL are the only two real languages, the other are communication systems to access English. Hence such systems are more appropriately categorized under the spoken and written language category. The Chair asked for Assemblymember Mendoza to work this out with the opposition. At this time, Assemblymember is not doing any further amendments.

2. The change from the visual language to ASL also impacts representation on the advisory panel. We want the bill amended to reflect this change, and to ask that the majority of individuals on the panel be Deaf or hard of hearing, and ASL users.

3. The Chair of the Health Committee wanted a restriction on audiologists. This is not in the bill as amended.

4. The Opposition questions the cost to the state, adding an additional responsibility to the audiologist’s scope of work which does not include this new professional activity. We strongly feel placing audiologists in this new role, poses potential conflict of interest for financial self gain, should they encourage the parents to choose surgical medical devices, and if so, the child returns to the audiologists for training and services charged to the parent. The practice of audiology is governed by the California Business and Profession Code and enforced by state Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. The licensing of audiologist is is based on a scope of work which does not include this “new professional activity”, but it also creates a conflict with regard to imposing restrictions without enforcement or oversight of this proposed new restriction and can be legally challenged in a court of law. We believe that based on recent history with lawsuits settled recently by US Department of Justice, this new professional activity could be viewed as a conflict of interest due to potential financial self-gain. We feel that due to this new finding, the health committee was not properly advised; hence this part in the amendment should be striked out or referred to Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee for a decision.

5. California Department of Education may or may not be able to absorb costs associated to implementing this bill. We ask that you contact the CDE to verify whether or not they can do this task, and furthermore, whether or not the CDE or the state Treasury can oversee contributions made to the fund that are not in conflict with any appointed representative on the advisory panel because this is absolutely necessary to avoid potential lawsuits.

The committee consultant is Katie Johnson. Phone: (916) 651-4101, Room: 2206. No fax is listed.

Get started ASAP to send your letters and make your phone calls! SAMPLE LETTER BELOW.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

San Diego
CHAIR: Kehoe, Christine (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 5050
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4039
Fax: (916) 327-2188

MEMBERS:

Bakersfield
Ashburn, Roy (Rep)
State Capitol
Room 3060
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4018
Fax: (916) 322-3304

San Jose
Alquist, Elaine (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 5080
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4013
Fax: (916) 324-0299

San Leandro/Fremont
Corbett, Ellen (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 5108
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4010
Fax: (916) 327-2433

Riverside
Emmerson, Bill (Rep)
State Capitol
Room 4082
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4037
Fax: (916) 327-2187

San Francisco/San Rafael
Leno, Mark (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 4061
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4003
Fax: (916) 445-4722

Los Angeles
Price, Curren D., Jr. (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 2052
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4026
Fax: (916) 445-8899

Laguna Hills
Walters, Mimi (Rep)
State Capitol
Room 3082
Sacramento, CA
Laguna Hills
94248-0001
(916) 651-4033
Fax: (916) 445-9754

Stockton/Sacramento
Wolk, Lois (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 4032
Sacramento, CA
94248-0001
(916) 651-4005
Fax: (916) 323-2304

Carlsbad/San Juan Capistrano
Wyland, Mark (Rep)
State Capitol
Room 4048
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001
(916) 651-4038
Fax: (916) 446-7382

San Francisco/San Mateo
Yee, Leland (Dem)
State Capitol
Room 4074
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001
(916) 651-4008
No fax listed, please call.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear Senator _______________: Re: OPPOSE-AB 2072

I am writing to ask that you vote NO on AB 2072 when the bill appears before the Appropriations Committee. I am a user of American Sign Language and I oppose AB 2072. The following are the reasons I am opposed to the bill:

1. As a stakeholder, I question the cost to the state, adding an additional responsibility to the audiologist’s scope of work which does not include this new professional activity. I strongly feel placing audiologists in this new role, poses potential conflict of interest for financial self-gain, should they encourage the parents to choose surgical medical devices, the child returns to the audiologists for training and services charged to the parent sometimes up to a year or longer. The practice of audiology is governed by the California Business and Profession Code and enforced by state Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. The licensing of audiologist is based on a scope of work which does not include this “new professional activity”. It also creates a conflict with regard to imposing restrictions without enforcement or oversight of this proposed new restriction and can be legally challenged in a court of law.
2. The California Department of Education may not be able to absorb the costs associated with implementing this bill. I ask that you contact the CDE to verify whether or not they can do this task, and furthermore, whether or not the CDE or the state Treasury can oversee contributions made to the fund that are not in conflict with any appointed representative on the advisory panel.
3. This bill creates the Language and Communication for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Fund in the State Treasury. However, in light of the State of California budget crisis, I ask: if this new fund being established does not have monies appropriated by this committee, how much money in contributions would it take to implement the actions set forth in this bill?

If you have any further questions about why I am opposed to AB 2072, please do view the website www.opposeab2072.com for further information.

Thank you,

(name)
(address)
(city) CA (zip)