To enhance the coordination of regionally delivered services and supports for children who are deaf and hearing impaired and to promote more communication-rich learning environments for these children. The bill would abolish the Washington State School for the Deaf and establish a Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness in Vancouver. The center's primary functions shall be: 1) Managing and supervising the school and the applied research center located at the center; 2) Providing statewide leadership and support for the coordination of regionally delivered education services in the full range of communication modalities, for children who are deaf and hearing impaired; and 3) Collaborating with public and private partners in the development and operation of an applied research center for the training and professional development of educators serving children who are deaf and hearing impaired.   Official Text and Analysis.

To make the following changes to the original bill: The name of the Center is revised to be the Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss to reflect the broader range of children and families who will be served. The title of the head of the agency is changed from superintendent to director to reflect the expanded role of the Center. The school to be operated at the Center is expressly named the Washington School for the Deaf. Trustees of the board of the Center may include up to two persons who are employed as administrators of a school district or an educational service district. The quarterly reviews of the Center's residential program by the DSHS Division of Licensed Resources (DLR) that expired in December 2006, are continued as an annual DLR review. The Center also is permitted to seek technical assistance as desired from the DLR. The entities to be appointed by the Governor to the advisory panel include representation from providers of auditory oral education and total communication services. Technical corrections are made to remove a duplicative section and to correctly identify the Chancellor (not the President) of Washington State University, Vancouver.

To remove the emergency clause.