Utah Speech-Language and Hearing Association of Utah
Legislative Update
4/5/2021
HB118 2nd Sub – Children’s Hearing Aid Program Amendments
Bill Sponsor: Rep Rex Shipp
Floor Sponsor: Sen Luz Escamilla
- This bill requires the Department of Health to keep a record of the cost of providing a hearing aid to each child under the Children’s Hearing Aid Program; requires the department to send a letter to a family that participates in the Children’s Hearing Aid Program informing the family of how it may donate to the program; and repeals a reporting requirement and sunset date.
For each child who receives a hearing aid under this program, the Department of Health is required to maintain a record of the cost of providing services to the child. No more than six months after services are provided to a child under this section, the department shall send a letter to the family of the child who received services that includes information regarding: the total amount paid by the department to provide services to the child; and the process by which the family may donate all or part of the amount paid to provide services to the child to fund the Children’s Hearing Aid Program.
- The original draft of HB118 required the Department of Health to establish a sliding scale based on the income of the child’s family to determine the amount of assistance a child could receive under the program and required that some of the assistance be in the form of a loan.
- Kory Holdaway and Audry Wood contacted the original sponsor of the bill, Rep Norm Thurston, about his intent with HB118. Rep Thurston indicated he would make changes to the bill and look at other options regarding the program in order to avoid opposition to the bill.
- HB118 2nd Sub was amended in the House Health and Human Services Committee with significant changes. The bill passed the House and Senate Health and Human Services Committees unanimously and the House and Senate unanimously.
SB1 – Public Education Base Budget Amendments
Bill Sponsor: Sen Lincoln Fillmore
Floor Sponsor: Rep Steve Eliason
- This bill supplements or reduces appropriations for public education and created the Supplemental Educator COVID-19 Stipend.
- On behalf of USHA, Kory Holdaway contacted the Legislative Fiscal Analyst’s office to confirm that SLP’s would receive the Supplemental Educator COVID-19 Stipend at the same funding level as an educator ($1,500).
- Audry Wood confirmed this same information with the Utah State Board of Education.