SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 59

(By Senators Plymale, Gaunch, Yost and Stollings)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study how the accomplishments of the Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab at Marshall University could be expanded throughout the state in order to provide additional programs in West Virginia that help provide listening and spoken language outcomes to children with hearing loss.

            Whereas, The Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab at Marshall University was founded in 2006 as the first preschool program in West Virginia providing listening and spoken language outcomes to children with hearing loss; and

            Whereas, The Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab provides services to infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children with hearing loss to allow them to mainstream into their home schools with age-level listening and spoken language skills to communicate with their hearing-aged peers; and

            Whereas, The Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab uses hearing technology, including hearing aids and cochlear implants, to help teach deaf children to listen and speak; and

            Whereas, The Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab has had great successes in reaching their goals and has shown itself as a program that should be expanded across the state to help deaf children in other areas of West Virginia; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Legislature hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study how the accomplishments of the Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab at Marshall University could be expanded throughout the state in order to provide additional programs in West Virginia that help provide listening and spoken language outcomes to children with hearing loss; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2016, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.