75-5391. Kansas commission for the deaf and hard of hearing; establishment; duties; management functions. (a) There is hereby established within the Kansas department for children and families the Kansas commission for the deaf and hard of hearing. The commission shall:

(1) Advocate services affecting the deaf and hard of hearing in the areas of public services, health care, educational, vocational and employment opportunity;

(2) act as a bureau of information for the deaf and hard of hearing to state agencies and public institutions providing general health and mental health care, employment, vocational, and educational services, and to local agencies and programs;

(3) collect facts and statistics and other special studies of conditions affecting the health and welfare of the deaf and hard of hearing in this state;

(4) provide for a mutual exchange of ideas and information on the national, state and local levels;

(5) provide public education of prenatal and postnatal warning signs of conditions which may lead to deafness or hearing impairment in the fetus or newborn child;

(6) encourage and assist local governments in the development of programs for the deaf and hard of hearing;

(7) cooperate with public and private agencies and units of local, state and federal governments in promoting coordination in programs for the deaf and hard of hearing;

(8) provide for the social, emotional, educational and vocational needs of the deaf and hard of hearing and their families;

(9) serve as an advisory board to the governor on the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing by preparing an annual report which reviews the status of all state services to the deaf and hard of hearing within Kansas, and to recommend priorities to the governor for the development and coordination of services to the deaf and hard of hearing;

(10) make recommendations for needed improvements, and serve as an advisory board in regard to new legislation affecting the deaf and hard of hearing.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by this act, all budgeting, purchasing and related management functions of the Kansas commission for the deaf and hard of hearing shall be administered under the direction and supervision of the secretary for children and families. Within the limitations of available appropriations, the secretary for children and families shall provide additional clerical and other assistance as may be required for the commission.

History: L. 1982, ch. 308, § 1; L. 1984, ch. 334, § 2; L. 1992, ch. 162, § 1; L. 2014, ch. 115, § 369; July 1.