By Mr. Augustus, a petition (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 566) of Edward M. Augustus, Jr., John P.
Fresolo, James E. Timilty and Anthony Verga for legislation
to improve education and workforce opportunities for deaf
and hard-of-hearing individuals. Labor and Workforce
Development.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. The General Court finds that children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing shall be educated in environments that provide opportunities to participate in sports, arts and cultural activities, tutorials, and other extracurricular activities. The General Court also recognizes that workforce development is essential to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, and additional assistance shall be provided to aid these individuals in the search for employment throughout the Commonwealth.
Section 2.
The Operational Services Division in the Executive Office of Administration and
Finance shall provide additional funding to Chapter 766 approved private
schools for the purpose of providing all students with opportunities to
participate in sports, arts and cultural activities, tutoring programs, and
other unspecified extracurricular activities.
Section 3.
The Massachusetts Commission of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing shall be granted additional funding for the purpose of entering into contracts with additional interpreters. The Commission is hereby directed to use these funds to place an interpreter at One-Stop Career Centers throughout the Commonwealth. Interpreters shall be assigned to various centers throughout the state that are accessible by public transportation.
