Colo. Rev. Stat. § 26-21-103

Current through 11/5/2024 election

Section 26-21-103 - Definitions

As used in this article 21, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Advisory council" means the Colorado deafblind advisory council appointed by the commission in accordance with section 26-21-105 (2)(f).

(1.5) "Auxiliary services" means those aids and services that assist in effective communication with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. "Auxiliary services" are also known as "communication access services" and may include but are not limited to:

(a) The services of a qualified interpreter as defined in section 13-90-202 (8);

(b) The provision of a qualified communication access realtime translation (CART) reporter;

(c) The provision of an assistive listening device; or

(d) The acquisition or modification of equipment or devices to assist in effective communication with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind.

(2) Repealed.

(3) "Commission" means the Colorado commission for the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind.

(4) "Communications technology" means any communication device or application utilizing radio, television, cellular phone, computer and network hardware and software, satellite, cable, broadband systems, or similar medium and the services and applications associated with those mediums, including video and teleconference services.

(4.3) "Deafblind" means a person who has concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication barriers and developmental and educational challenges that a child who is deafblind cannot be accommodated in special education programs designed solely for children who are deaf or children who are blind.

(4.7) "Intervener" means a person who is at least eighteen years of age and:

(a) Is knowledgeable in a variety of techniques used to support a child who is deafblind to meaningfully participate in the child's community;

(b) Has completed or is enrolled in an intervener training program and has obtained an intervener certificate or provisional intervener certificate;

(c) Has the ability to proficiently communicate in the functional language of the child to whom the intervener is assigned;

(d) Has at least one year of experience working with individuals with deafness, blindness, deafblindness, or intellectual and developmental disabilities; and

(e) Has at least six months of experience working with individuals who have deafblindness.

(4.8) "Intervener program manager" means a person who has demonstrated intervener abilities and can proficiently communicate in the functional language of children who are deafblind and:

(a) Has a minimum of one year of paid experience in community programs planning and providing direct services to children with deafness, blindness, deafblindness, or multiple disabilities, and has a master's degree in a health and human services-related field; or

(b) Has a minimum of two years of paid experience in community programs planning and providing direct services to individuals with deafness, blindness, deafblindness, or multiple disabilities, and has a bachelor's degree in a health and human services-related field.

(5) "Late deafened" means a person whose hearing loss began in late childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, after the person acquired oral language skills.

(6) "Latent deafblind" means a person who has an existing ear and eye condition that has not yet manifested.

(7) "Low vision" means an eye condition where visual acuity is 20/70 or poorer in the better eye and the condition cannot be corrected or improved with optical corrective devices.

(8) "Orientation and mobility specialist" means a professional who focuses on instructing individuals who are deafblind on how to effectively and independently travel through their environment.

(9) "State court system" means the system of courts, or any part thereof, established pursuant to articles 1 to 9 of title 13 and article VI of the state constitution. "State court system" does not include the municipal courts or any part thereof.

(10) "Support service provider" means a person who provides visual and environmental information, acts as a sighted guide, or facilitates communication for deafblind individuals.

C.R.S. § 26-21-103

Amended by 2024 Ch. 267,§ 4, eff. 8/7/2024.

Amended by 2023 Ch. 186,§ 2, eff. 8/7/2023.

Amended by 2018 Ch. 303, § 13, eff. 8/8/2018.

Amended by 2015 Ch. 151, § 3, eff. 7/1/2015.

L. 2000: Entire article added, p. 1625, § 1, effective June 1. L. 2009: Entire section amended, (SB 09 -144), ch. 219, p. 985, § 2, effective August 5. L. 2011: (7) amended, (HB 11 -1303), ch. 264, p. 1171, § 79, effective August 10. L. 2015: (3.3) and (3.6) added, (SB 15-178), ch. 151, p. 455, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2018: Entire section amended, (HB 18-1108), ch. 303, p. 1837, § 13, effective August 8.

2024 Ch. 267, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).

2023 Ch. 186, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).

For the legislative declaration in HB 23-1067, see section 1 of chapter 186, Session Laws of Colorado 2023. For the legislative declaration in HB 24-1276, see section 1 of chapter 267, Session Laws of Colorado 2024.