Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

An Inventory of Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Records at the Texas State Archives, 1972-2004

Agency History

The State Commission for the Deaf was established in 1971 (House Bill 1293, 62nd Texas Legislature, Regular Session), its board composed of six members. It was renamed the Texas Commission for the Deaf in 1979 (House Bill 1834, 66th Texas Legislature, Regular Session), and its board was increased to nine members. In 1991 (House Bill 2353, 72nd Texas Legislature, Regular Session), its name was changed to Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. One last name change in 1995 made it the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (House Bill 2859, 74th Texas Legislature, Regular Session). Its goal was a statewide program of advocacy and education to break down communication barriers and guarantee equal access to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. It established contracts with community-based councils for the deaf and hard of hearing, to provide communication access, information and referral, early intervention services, services to the elderly, and interpreter mentoring services. It certified and maintained a registry of interpreters, and provided financial assistance for telephone access equipment to persons with disabilities. In short, the commission was responsible for rendering all services to the deaf except those which are by law the responsibility of the welfare, educational, or other agencies of the state.

Members of the commission were appointed by the governor with the concurrence of the Senate for six-year overlapping terms. Two of the original six members (1971-1979) were required to be deaf persons. When the number of commissioners was raised to nine in 1979, three were required to be deaf or hard of hearing, two the parents of deaf or hard of hearing children, two professionals serving the deaf or hard of hearing, and two representatives of the general public. The commission appointed an executive director, preferably deaf or hard of hearing. In 1971 the commission had three employees, and by 1991 it had thirteen employees. In 1991 the commission was one of eleven (eventually thirteen) state agencies placed under the oversight of the Health and Human Services Commission.

House Bill 2292 (78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003) merged twelve state health and human services agencies into five, officially abolishing the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and creating the new Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). This new agency combined the duties of the Commission for the Blind, Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Texas Rehabilitation Commission and the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention. It began its new functions on March 1, 2004. The Texas Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Council assists the agency in developing rules and policies. The council is made up of nine members appointed by the governor with the consent of the Texas Senate. To be eligible for appointment to the council, a person must have knowledge in programs and issues related to early childhood intervention services, services for people with disabilities or services for people who are blind, deaf or hard of hearing. Functions of the former Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are now conducted by DARS, Division for Rehabilitative Services, Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS).

(Sources include: Guide to Texas State Agencies, 11th edition (2001); the article on Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired by John G. Johnson, in The Handbook of Texas Online; the DARS agency web site (http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/index.shtml), both accessed June 2006; and the enabling legislation, 1971, 1979, 1991, 1995, and 2003.)

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Scope and Contents of the Records

The Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing was responsible for rendering all services to the deaf and hard of hearing except those which were by law the responsibility of the welfare, educational, or other agencies of the state. It established contracts with community-based councils for the deaf and hard of hearing, to provide communication access, information and referral, early intervention services, services to the elderly, and interpreter mentoring services. It also certified and maintained a registry of interpreters, and provided financial assistance for telephone access equipment to persons with disabilities. These records include copies of minutes, agenda, and press releases for the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and minutes for the Technical Advisory Council for Planning and Operations, and the Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters. Overall date coverage is 1972-2004. Commission minutes cover the entire date span; agenda begin 1979 but are very sporadic. Minutes for the Technical Advisory Council for Planning and Operations date 1980-1982; minutes for the Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters date 1980-1988. Press releases date 1973-1996 (not inclusive).

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).

Technical Requirements

None.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1998/127, 1998/151, 1999/100, 2000/055, 2001/050, 2002/087, 2002/171, 2003/115, 2004/097, 2004/204, 2005/160, 2006/142

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on May 26, 1998; June 8, 1998; January 28, 1999; October 29, 1999; October 31, 2000; December 31, 2001; January 31, 2003; and February 25, 2004; by the Texas Legislative Reference Library on August 8, 2002; July 15, 2004; and January 26, 2006; and by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services on June 9, 2005.

Processing Information

Tony Black, February 2004, December 2005, June 2006

Location of Originals

The record copies of minutes and agenda are maintained by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services.

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Detailed Description of the Records

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