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• Introduced by Rep. Jim Jacks, (D) (D) on February 2, 2009, clarifies provisions and directions for the reorganization, supervision, management and authority of state schools for blind and deaf children.
  • Referred to the House Early Learning and Children's Services on February 2, 2009.
    • Substitute offered in the House on February 13, 2009, to clarify the scope of the Center as being statewide and including the residential school for the deaf in Vancouver and the day-to-day operations of the school and supervision of students will be managed by the Director of the Center or the Director's designee. Technical changes are made as well. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on February 13, 2009.
    • Referred to the House Education Appropriations Committee on February 17, 2009.
      • Substitute offered in the House on February 26, 2009, removes the development of an applied research center and providing post high school transition planning and programming from the list of additional duties assigned to the Director of the Washington Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on February 26, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 2, 2009.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. Jim Jacks, (D) (D) on March 10, 2009, to removes provisions creating an advisory committee and instead directs the board of trustees and the director of the center for childhood deafness and hearing loss to consult with a broad array of stakeholders to develop the structure and plan for implementing the demonstration sites in two educational service districts. Removes the emergency clause that applies to the section creating the advisory committee. Changes the date for reporting back to the Governor and the Legislature from December 31, 2009, to December 1, 2010, and adjusts the expiration date for that section to January 1, 2011. Clarifies that the duty of educational service districts and the superintendent of public instruction includes reporting on students who are deaf as well as those who are hard of hearing. Makes technical corrections. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 10, 2009.
• Passed in the House (96 to 0) on March 10, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 12, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee on March 12, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the Senate on March 30, 2009, to insert a null and void clause applying only to the section requiring that the newly created center implement a process leading to implementation of two regional demonstration sites and that the Legislature be briefed on such progress by December 1, 2010 . The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 30, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 30, 2009.
    • Amendment offered by Sen. Craig Pridemore, (D-Vancouver) (D) on April 9, 2009, to clarify that the potential for requiring program demonstration site planning and implementation without adequate funding by stating that the initial report to the Legislature and Governor is only a recommendation. Because of this clarification, the null and void clause applying to that section is removed. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on April 9, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (46 to 0) on April 9, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on April 20, 2009. Passed in the House (92 to 0) on April 20, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 7, 2009, establishes the Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss to provide statewide leadership in the regional delivery of education services to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Requires development of a plan for the implementation of two demonstration projects for regionally-based deaf education programs providing services in the full range of communication modalities.