Deaf rights bill OK’d, Hospital Authority to wait

From: Rome News-Tribune - Rome,GA,USA - Apr 20, 2007

From staff reports

The Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights was among the bills that cleared the Georgia General Assembly in the last two hours of the session.

State Sen. Preston Smith, R-Rome, co-sponsored the legislation, which requires school systems to teach each deaf and hard-of-hearing child in whatever communication mode is most effective.

Also passing was its companion bill, which lets students use American Sign Language classes as foreign language credits.

A legislated raise for the Floyd County Board of Education, to $400 a month from $50 a meeting, also made the cut.

Failing to make it through both chambers this session were a bill to streamline the appointment process for members of the Hospital Authority of Floyd County and a bill making the Floyd County Probate Court judgeship a nonpartisan seat.

The 2008 budget includes $300,000 for improvements at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, along with funding for several other local projects.

Smith provided the following list: Floyd County: 1) Riverfront and River Access improvements - $ 20,000

2) Family Resource Center (operations) - $ 25,000

3) Floyd Board of Education, Improvements to Model High School field house - $15,000

4) Russell Airport improvements (cash appropriation) - $300,000

5) Coosa Valley Technical College, new hanger at Russell Airport for avionics program (bond appropriation) - $500,000

Gordon County:

6) Renovate Plaza and County Courthouse in downtown Calhoun - $40,000

7) Coosa Valley Technical College, phase 3 of Gordon county campus (bond appropriation) - $11,900,000

Bartow County:

8) Bartow Women's Center - $50,000

9) Advocates for Bartow's Children (operations) - $25,000

10) North Metro Technical College (bond appropriation) for equipment in new allied health and sciences building - $2,450,000

© 2007 Rome News-Tribune