House Bill 60: Changing the
Term from 'Hearing Impaired'
to the 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing'
Term from 'Hearing Impaired'
to the 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing'
- Compiled & Written by Jodi Becker Kinner
Published in 2017
Updated in 2024
Author's Note
When I first learned about the historic passing of House Bill 60, which aims to replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state law, I felt compelled to be a part of this significant moment. The slideshow below shows photos of me standing at the back of the room—a silent tribute to the advocates who tirelessly championed this bill. Their dedication to this change was truly inspiring.
During the signing ceremony, I had the honor of meeting Utah Governor Gary Herbert, who kindly approached me for a handshake. His warm demeanor and genuine interest in the bill's impact made a profound impression on me, which I will elaborate on below.
From 2007 to 2009, I, along with Dennis R. Platt and Jill Radford, represented the Utah Deaf community on the Legislative Task Force for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. We proposed changing the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in Utah House Bill 296, which governed the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Despite our efforts, the legislative workgroup, primarily comprised of non-deaf individuals, opted to retain the federal term 'hearing impaired' in HB 296 to adhere to federal regulations. [On March 25, 2009, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. signed a significant bill into law that would end the state's promotion of mainstreaming and allow for on-campus education for students. The signing ceremony occurred on April 30, 2009.]
Under the leadership of President Stephen Persinger of the Utah Association of the Deaf, Utah made history by becoming the first state in the nation to replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state law. Utah House Bill (HB) 60, which amended the Utah State Code on March 17, 2017, mandated this monumental change. This significant milestone reflects the advocacy efforts of the Utah Association of the Deaf.
The Deaf community perceives the term "hearing impaired" as negative and often offensive, as it suggests a broken condition. This label tends to emphasize the limitations of Deaf individuals rather than celebrating their abilities. The Deaf community values its unique culture, which includes its own language, traditions, values, and norms. Embracing this change empowers and inspires the Deaf community in Utah and supports the broader movement for disability rights.
We would like to express our gratitude to Stephen Persinger, Pamela Mower, and W. David Samuelson for their successful efforts in passing HB 60. Additionally, we appreciate Marilyn Tiller Call, former director of the Utah Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, for her ongoing support as a long-time lobbyist throughout the legislative process.
Thank you for showing interest in this topic. It is an honor for Utah to make history by replacing the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state statutes and to witness the ceremonial signing of this change!
Enjoy!
Jodi Becker Kinner
During the signing ceremony, I had the honor of meeting Utah Governor Gary Herbert, who kindly approached me for a handshake. His warm demeanor and genuine interest in the bill's impact made a profound impression on me, which I will elaborate on below.
From 2007 to 2009, I, along with Dennis R. Platt and Jill Radford, represented the Utah Deaf community on the Legislative Task Force for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. We proposed changing the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in Utah House Bill 296, which governed the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Despite our efforts, the legislative workgroup, primarily comprised of non-deaf individuals, opted to retain the federal term 'hearing impaired' in HB 296 to adhere to federal regulations. [On March 25, 2009, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. signed a significant bill into law that would end the state's promotion of mainstreaming and allow for on-campus education for students. The signing ceremony occurred on April 30, 2009.]
Under the leadership of President Stephen Persinger of the Utah Association of the Deaf, Utah made history by becoming the first state in the nation to replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state law. Utah House Bill (HB) 60, which amended the Utah State Code on March 17, 2017, mandated this monumental change. This significant milestone reflects the advocacy efforts of the Utah Association of the Deaf.
The Deaf community perceives the term "hearing impaired" as negative and often offensive, as it suggests a broken condition. This label tends to emphasize the limitations of Deaf individuals rather than celebrating their abilities. The Deaf community values its unique culture, which includes its own language, traditions, values, and norms. Embracing this change empowers and inspires the Deaf community in Utah and supports the broader movement for disability rights.
We would like to express our gratitude to Stephen Persinger, Pamela Mower, and W. David Samuelson for their successful efforts in passing HB 60. Additionally, we appreciate Marilyn Tiller Call, former director of the Utah Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, for her ongoing support as a long-time lobbyist throughout the legislative process.
Thank you for showing interest in this topic. It is an honor for Utah to make history by replacing the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state statutes and to witness the ceremonial signing of this change!
Enjoy!
Jodi Becker Kinner
Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., ceremoniously signed HB 296 into law at the Utah Capitol on April 30, 2009, regulating Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. I'm on the left side, wearing a vest and a white blouse, witnessing the signature
In a historic milestone, Utah became the first state in the nation to officially replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing' in state law. This change was enacted through Utah House Bill (HB) 60, which was passed on March 17, 2017, amending the Utah State Code. The Utah Association of the Deaf played a crucial role in advocating for this important change.
During the 2017 legislative session, Stephen Persinger, president of the Utah Association of the Deaf, along with Pamela Mower, the association's vice president, and W. David Samuelson, an advocate for the Utah Deaf community, worked diligently to support House Bill 60 (HB 60). Representative Norman Thurston of Utah supported their advocacy, resulting in the approval of the bill by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. On March 17, 2017, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed HB 60 into law, marking a successful conclusion to their efforts.
Representative Thurston was a strong supporter of the Utah Deaf community. During the 2016 legislative session, he sponsored Utah House Bill (HB) 325, which reorganized the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, including the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The Department of Workforce Services processed these transfers. Representative Thurston also worked closely with Deaf leaders such as Stephen Persinger, Philippe Montalette, Pamela Mower, and W. David Samuelson to ensure that the language used in HB 325 was appropriate and current. As a result of this positive collaboration, Representative Thurston was motivated to introduce HB 60, which aimed to replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' in state statutes with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing.'
On April 11, 2017, Governor Herbert signed House Bill 60 into law. I attended the signing ceremony with Representative Thurston, Marilyn Tiller Call, Stephen Persinger, Pamela Mower, W. David Samuelson, Brandon Bowden, Brooke Budzinski Grossinger, and her 5-year-old daughter, Milika Grossinger.
Since the signing of HB 60, four states—and possibly more—have contacted UAD President Persinger to discuss similar actions. In response, President Persinger has reached out to these states to gather more information about the implementation process (Persinger, UAD Bulletin, April 2017).
In the April 2017 UAD Bulletin, UAD President Persinger stated, "This may seem minor, but this is something that can have a ripple effect from the top down instead of trying to teach people from the bottom up, which takes a lot more energy and work. This change demonstrates that we are not merely objects in need of repair but rather individuals with feelings, emotions, and thoughts, and that our group possesses a unique language and culture that we take pride in" (Persinger, UAD Bulletin, Spring 2017, p. 1). This is a significant achievement for the Utah Deaf community and could serve as a model for other states that seek to replicate its success.
During the 2017 legislative session, Stephen Persinger, president of the Utah Association of the Deaf, along with Pamela Mower, the association's vice president, and W. David Samuelson, an advocate for the Utah Deaf community, worked diligently to support House Bill 60 (HB 60). Representative Norman Thurston of Utah supported their advocacy, resulting in the approval of the bill by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. On March 17, 2017, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed HB 60 into law, marking a successful conclusion to their efforts.
Representative Thurston was a strong supporter of the Utah Deaf community. During the 2016 legislative session, he sponsored Utah House Bill (HB) 325, which reorganized the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, including the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The Department of Workforce Services processed these transfers. Representative Thurston also worked closely with Deaf leaders such as Stephen Persinger, Philippe Montalette, Pamela Mower, and W. David Samuelson to ensure that the language used in HB 325 was appropriate and current. As a result of this positive collaboration, Representative Thurston was motivated to introduce HB 60, which aimed to replace the term 'Hearing Impaired' in state statutes with 'Deaf and Hard of Hearing.'
On April 11, 2017, Governor Herbert signed House Bill 60 into law. I attended the signing ceremony with Representative Thurston, Marilyn Tiller Call, Stephen Persinger, Pamela Mower, W. David Samuelson, Brandon Bowden, Brooke Budzinski Grossinger, and her 5-year-old daughter, Milika Grossinger.
Since the signing of HB 60, four states—and possibly more—have contacted UAD President Persinger to discuss similar actions. In response, President Persinger has reached out to these states to gather more information about the implementation process (Persinger, UAD Bulletin, April 2017).
In the April 2017 UAD Bulletin, UAD President Persinger stated, "This may seem minor, but this is something that can have a ripple effect from the top down instead of trying to teach people from the bottom up, which takes a lot more energy and work. This change demonstrates that we are not merely objects in need of repair but rather individuals with feelings, emotions, and thoughts, and that our group possesses a unique language and culture that we take pride in" (Persinger, UAD Bulletin, Spring 2017, p. 1). This is a significant achievement for the Utah Deaf community and could serve as a model for other states that seek to replicate its success.
L-R: Marilyn Tiller Call, Brooke Budzinski Grossinger, Brandon Bowden, W. David Samuelsen, Stephen Persinger, Pamela Mower, Jodi Becker Kinner, Utah Representative Norman Thurston. Center: Brooke's daughter and Utah Governor Gary Hebert at the HB 60 Signing Ceremony, March 11, 2017
A Slideshow of the
Ceremonial Signing of HB 60
April 11, 2017
For your enjoyment, I have included the following photos of the ceremonial signing event. Enjoy!
Reference
Persinger, Stephen. “President’s Corner.” UAD Bulletin, April 2017.
