SF 115

as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to children; establishing recognition of 
  1.3             American sign language; proposing coding for new law 
  1.4             in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 126. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [126.255] [AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE RECOGNIZED AS 
  1.7   A WORLD LANGUAGE.] 
  1.8      The Minnesota state legislature recognizes American sign 
  1.9   language as a fully developed, autonomous, natural language with 
  1.10  distinct grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and cultural heritage 
  1.11  which is used by a variety of deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind 
  1.12  and hearing individuals in the United States, and hereby 
  1.13  determines that American sign language shall be accorded equal 
  1.14  status with other linguistic systems in the state's public and 
  1.15  higher education systems. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  [126.256] [EDUCATIONAL CREDITS.] 
  1.17     A public elementary and secondary student may count credit 
  1.18  for satisfactorily completing a course in American sign language 
  1.19  towards the fulfillment of a world language requirement in the 
  1.20  public education system under rules made by the state board of 
  1.21  instruction.  If a course in American sign language is offered 
  1.22  by a state university, college, or community college, it shall 
  1.23  be accepted as a world language credit.  Successful completion 
  1.24  of any American sign language course in the common schools shall 
  1.25  satisfy the world language entrance requirements for a state 
  2.1   institution of higher education.