ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House: HHS DPA/SE 12-0-0-0

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

HB 2188: language acquisition grant program

S/E: same subject

Sponsor: Representative Willoughby, LD 13

Caucus & COW

 

Summary of the Strike-Everything Amendment to HB 2188

Overview

Establishes the Language Acquisition Grant Program (Grant Program) to provide grants to listening and spoken language providers that provide services to Arizona Early Intervention Programs and Services (AzEIP) eligible infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing.  

History

AzEIP provides screening and intervention services for children ages 0 to 3 with developmental delays or disabilities. The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) receives a capped allotment of Federal Funds for the program through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Deaf is defined as a person who cannot generally understand speech sounds with or without a hearing aid when in optimal listening conditions. Hard of hearing is a person who has a degree of hearing loss greater than 40dB PTA-2, but less than 85dB PTA-2, in the better ear (A.R.S. § 36-1941).

The Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) serves over 2,000 children from birth to age 22 who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, multisensory disabled or deafblind. ASDB operates two schools for the deaf, one school for the blind, a statewide birth-to-three early childhood and family education program and five regional cooperatives (ASDB).

Provisions

1.   Establishes the Grant Program consisting of monies appropriated by the Legislature to provide grants to listening and spoken language providers that provide services to AzEIP eligible infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Sec. 1)

2.   Subjects monies in the fund to legislative appropriation. (Sec. 1)

3.   Requires DES to administer the Grant Program by contracting with eligible providers. (Sec. 1)

4.   Permits DES to adopt rules, policies and procedures to carry out the purposes of the Grant Program. (Sec. 1)

5.   Requires DES to contract with listening and spoken language providers in Arizona to provide listening and spoken language services to AzEIP eligible families with infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Sec. 1)

6.   Requires contractors ensure that the provided therapies are administered or overseen by a certified educator or therapist in a natural environment, clinical setting, educational setting or virtually. (Sec. 1)

7.   Requires AzEIP to refer eligible families with children who are identified as dead or hard of hearing to both of the following, at a minimum:

a.   qualified providers within the Grant Program for listening and spoken language services; and

b.   ASDB to learn American Sign Language and any other form of language acquisition. (Sec. 1)

c.  

d.    

e. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

f. Initials AG/LK                      HB 2188

g.   2/2/2026          Page 0 Caucus & COW

h.    

i. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------