Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 40


Introduced by Senator Leyva

(Coauthors: Senators Allen, Beall, Block, De León, Fuller, Galgiani, Hall, Hancock, Hernandez, Hertzberg, Hill, Hueso, Jackson, Lara, Leno, Liu, McGuire, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, Pavley, Roth, Wieckowski, and Wolk)

April 9, 2015


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 40—Relative to Better Hearing and Speech Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 40, as introduced, Leyva. Better Hearing and Speech Month.

This measure would recognize May 2015 as Better Hearing and Speech Month.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Each May, Better Hearing and Speech Month
2provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication
3disorders; and

4WHEREAS, An estimated 40 million Americans have some
5type of communication disorder, costing the United States
6approximately $154 to $186 billion annually due to lost work
7productivity, special education, and medical treatment; and

8WHEREAS, Eight percent of children under six years of age
9across the nation have speech and language disorders and one in
10five children 12 to 19, inclusive, years of age has hearing loss. By
11the first grade, approximately 5 percent of children have speech
12or language disorders; and

13WHEREAS, Thirty-six million American adults report some
14degree of hearing loss; and

P2    1WHEREAS, Early identification and treatment can enhance the
2acquisition of functional communication skills; and

3WHEREAS, Engaging parents, educators, and community
4leaders is of great importance to raise awareness and support those
5with communication disorders; and

6WHEREAS, In summary, the field of speech-language pathology
7and audiology focuses on the development of all parameters of
8communication, including swallowing across the age span, and
9addresses the disruption of this development through habilitation,
10rehabilitation, and access in various settings; now, therefore, be it

11Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
12thereof concurring,
That the Legislature recognizes the month of
13May 2015 as Better Hearing and Speech Month, and that the
14residents of the State of California are encouraged to join together
15in raising awareness and heightening public knowledge of
16communication disorders; and be it further

17Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
18this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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