Special education: specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing services.

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Hoover
Last action: 2025-07-14
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 44, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact nature or types of specialized services that can be included.

Special Education for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students

This law clarifies that special education programs can include specialized services specifically for deaf or hard-of-hearing students, even if these are the only services needed.

What This Bill Does

It ensures that individualized education plans (IEPs) can include specialized services just for deaf and hard-of-hearing students without being limited by existing definitions of special education.

Who It Names or Affects

Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and need specialized services in their schools.
Schools and local educational agencies responsible for providing special education services.

Terms To Know

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A plan that outlines the specific educational needs of a student with exceptional needs, including deaf or hard-of-hearing students.
Special education: Services and instruction designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what types of specialized services are included for deaf or hard-of-hearing students.
It is unclear how this law will be enforced in schools across different regions.

Bill History

2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 44, Statutes of 2025.
2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-07-11 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
2025-07-03 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
2025-07-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 1932.).
2025-07-01 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-06-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1662.)
2025-05-15 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on ED.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on ED.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-21 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 784, Hoover.
Special education: specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing services.
Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those individuals with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services, as reflected in an individualized education program. Existing law defines “special education” as specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs. Existing law includes in
that definition speech-language pathology services and certain other services if the service is considered special education rather than a designated instruction and service or related service under state standards.
This bill would prohibit those provisions from being construed to prohibit an individualized education program from including specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing related services as the only services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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