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If you are an Indiana resident, please contact your legislators to OPPOSE HB 1367 today! Following is the link to the bill information and the contact information for the Education Committee that it has been assigned to.

Learn about the bill at: http://1.usa.gov/wLy5TD.

More information at www.iadhoosiers.org.

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE…

List of Legislators: http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/contact/contact.pl.

HB 1367, authored by Representative Cindy Noe (R) and supported by “Hear Indiana” seeks to take Outreach Services away from ISD and centralize it in a government-run agency called the Center for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Education. The funding will ultimately be taken from ISD and transferred into this Center. ISD will have no management of it, no say in it, yet it will ultimately be funded by ISD. This bill is fiscally irresponsible and seeks to duplicate services without a legislative study on how it is to be set up, where it will be housed, who will run it, how will staff be hired, and the exact costs and fiscal impact of such services. Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and their families in Indiana deserve outreach services to remain at ISD where established professionals in Deaf education, audiology, assessment, early intervention, and parent support can assist them with all their needs.

It is time to say no to legislation that is created FOR US, WITHOUT US! It is time to say no to legislation that PITS PARENTS AGAINST PARENTS!

Tell your legislators NO to HB 1367!

Sample Letter

Dear Rep./Sen.______________________,

I am writing for your support in OPPOSING HB 1367. This piece of legislation is designed to dismantle an excellent source of Professional Outreach to Indiana parents who have Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and place that outreach in the hands of unknown players. The Indiana School for the Deaf is one of the top schools in the nation and their Outreach Services are up-to-date and top caliber when it comes to professional services for families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children.

This bill along with the Office of Management and Budget's recent study on ISD is a work of pressure from Hear Indiana, a chapter of Alexander Bell Association. AGBell Association is strictly an oral organization that does not support bilingual education through American Sign Language and English. In fact it prohibits the use of sign language in its educational therapies. Their limited view on educating Deaf and Hard of Hearing children is outdated and not comprehensive of all the communication options available for families in Indiana.

HB 1367 is vague and fiscally irresponsible. It pits parents against parents. It is being rushed through without a legislative study or even an accurate cost analysis. Indiana is struggling as it is and trying to recreate the wheel is an unnecessary waste of time and taxpayer dollars.

Sincerely,

Name, Address and Phone Number or Email

House Committee on Education Contacts:

Call them and leave a message with their legislative assistant to register your opposition to HB 1367. Leave your name, address, and email, phone number with them. You can tell them you are Deaf and/or a parent of a Deaf child who attends the Indiana School for the Deaf.

This is something you can do NOW. Tell all your friends and family to do the same.

Mailing address is:
Name of Representative and 200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204 (this is slow)

Republicans:

Robert Behning, Chair (He will schedule the committee meetings. The Education Committee typically meets on Mondays according to his legislative aide.)
317-232-9981
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rhonda Rhoads Vice Chair
317-234-3827
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Kathy Heuer
317-232-9647
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Timothy Brown
317-232-9798
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Edward Clere
317-232-9648
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David Frizzell
317-232-9981
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Cindy Noe
317-232-9678 (She is the author of this bill.)
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Jeffrey Thompson
317-232-9793
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Democrats:

Gregory Porter, Ranking Minority Member
317-232-9739
Suite: 3A-1
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Vernon Smith
317-232-9798
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David Cheatham
317-234-9708
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Rochelle VanDenburgh
317-232-9784
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Clyde Kersey
317-232-9780
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