AB 322: Public social services for deaf persons.

Existing law requires public social services for the deaf and hard of hearing to be available in at least 3 regions throughout the state. Existing law provides that public social services for the deaf and hard of hearing includes, but is not limited to, complete communication services through interpreter services by a professional interpreter for the deaf, as specified, and counseling. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, with the advice of persons knowledgeable about the provision of public social services to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, to establish the criteria for funding public social services for the deaf and hard of hearing.

This bill, commencing with the 201718 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, would continuously appropriate, without regard to fiscal year, $8,200,000 from the General Fund to the department for the purpose of providing deaf access program services, as specified. The bill would require that $3,000,000 of that amount be used upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require the department to provide deaf access program services to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who reside in a linguistically isolated household, as defined.