The proposed bill would establish a new Language Acquisition Grant Program under title 41, chapter 14, article 5 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. This program aims to provide grants and educate families with infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing about available language acquisition services and resources. The Department of Economic Security (DES) would administer the program, have the authority to adopt necessary rules, and would require applicants to submit grant applications on a prescribed form. Additionally, DES would contract with listening and spoken language providers to deliver services to eligible families.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that families referred to early intervention programs must also be directed to qualified providers within the grant program for listening and spoken language services, as well as to the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind for learning American Sign Language and other language acquisition methods. This addition aims to enhance the support and resources available to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 41-2023