Signing is Language Act

Bill: 116-hr-5483
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Introduced: 2019-12-18
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Disability and paralysis

Education programs funding

Elementary and secondary education

Foreign language and bilingual programs
Latest action: action_date: 2019-12-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-12-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Signing is Language Act</strong></p> <p>This bill counts an individual whose native language is sign language in the number of English learners in a state for the purpose of determining the amount of federal funds allotted&nbsp;to a state for English language programs in schools.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5483 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 18, 2019 Mr. Larsen of Washington (for himself, Ms. Jayapal , Ms. Jackson Lee , and Mr. Heck ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to clarify that ASL students are English learners.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Signing is Language Act . 2. American Community Survey Section 3111(c)(3)(A)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6821(c)(3) ) is amended by inserting before the semicolon the following: and, which, through consultation with such Department, the Secretary shall ensure includes the English learners described in section 8101(20)(C)(iv) . 3. English learner definition Section 8101(20)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(20(C)))— (1) in clause (ii)(II), by striking or at the end; (2) in clause (iii), by striking and at the end and inserting or ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (iv) whose native language is sign language, without regard to country of origin or primary spoken language, including any international variation of American Sign Language; and .