[Nfbmo] FW: [Modisabilaw] Yesterday's House Disability Committee

[Shelia Wright]

  _____  

From: modisabilaw-bounces at lists.mo.gov
[mailto:modisabilaw-bounces at lists.mo.gov] On Behalf Of Marty Exline
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 8:50 AM
To: MO Disability Policy/Law Listserv
Subject: [Modisabilaw] Yesterday's House Disability Committee

 

The House Special Standing Committee on Disability Services voted on one
bill yesterday and heard testimony on four others:  

 

Parental Rights of Persons with Disabilities

HCS HB 604

A committee substitute to this bill (identical to HB 555 and SB 134) was
voted "do pass" as a consent bill.  The bill as passed by the committee
prohibits removing parental custody rights or terminating parental rights
when based on disability without showing that there is a specific
relationship between the disability and harm to the child.  The bill also
specifies that disability cannot be the reason for determining that an
individual is unfit to adopt a child.  In either case, a determination must
take into consideration any type of assistive technology or support services
that would allow a parent to care for a child.

 

Bills that had a hearing in the committee yesterday include:

 

HB 513 - Service Animals

This bill originates from the parent of a child with autism.  The intent is
to change the law governing service animals to allow a new classification of
a service animal under Missouri law.  In testimony, the parent said the
purpose is to be able to take the dog into public places in case the child
becomes lost, in order for the dog to track and find the child.  Legislative
changes in the bill include adding "mental" disability to disabilities for
which service dogs are permitted and to add "search and rescue dog" to the
types of service dogs under state law.

 

Disability History Instruction

HB 556

This bill, heard in committee today, would require K-12 schools to teach
disability history and awareness instruction each year during the month of
October, which would be designated Disability History and Awareness Month.
Local school boards would be required to develop and adopt the curriculum
for their schools.  

 

Accessible Parking Signs 

HB 560

The bill would require all new signs erected as of August 28, 2011 related
to disabled parking to use the words "Disabled Parking" rather than
"Handicapped Parking" or "Handicap Parking".

 

Disability Terminology 

HB 648

The bill would require changes in state statutory language whenever
references are made to "mentally retarded", mental retardation" or
"handicapped" to read "developmentally disabled", developmental disability",
or "disabled".

 

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