By SUZANNE DOWNING
May 20, 2026 – A bill aimed at improving educational opportunities and parental rights for Alaska’s deaf and hard-of-hearing students is now headed to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s desk after passing the Alaska Senate unanimously on Wednesday.
House Bill 39, sponsored by Eagle River Rep. Jamie Allard, had already passed the House unanimously earlier this year, making its final passage a notable achievement for a minority caucus bill in the Alaska Legislature.
The legislation requires school districts to provide parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children with comprehensive and neutral information about educational and communication options available for their children, from ages 3 through 21.
Among the information districts must provide are details about hearing aids, cochlear implants, bone-anchored hearing aids, and remote microphone systems. Parents must also be informed about various communication and educational approaches, including listening and spoken language, bilingual approaches using American Sign Language and English literacy, cued speech, and total communication methods.
The bill further requires districts to provide information about advocacy organizations and services available through both public and private agencies.
“This bill is about empowering parents and ensuring every child in Alaska has the tools they need to succeed,” Allard said following the Senate vote. “Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to accommodations and access to academic instruction, school services and extracurricular activities in their primary language.”
A major feature of HB 39 is its emphasis on parental choice. Under the bill, parents have the authority to select the communication method they believe is best for their child, and school districts must provide services using that chosen method. Those services must be delivered by professionals with the appropriate training and experience.
The legislation also clarifies operational standards and transportation requirements for specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing education programs while maintaining districts’ existing responsibilities under state and federal special education laws.
“By defining clear standards for communication methods and ensuring districts inform parents of these new rights, HB 39 establishes a solid blueprint for the future of deaf and hard-of-hearing education in Alaska,” Allard said.
For Allard, a US Army veteran who herself has a hearing impairment, the legislation is deeply personal. She has said the measure is intended to ensure children facing similar challenges have better access to educational opportunities and support services throughout Alaska.
With unanimous support in both chambers, HB 39 now awaits the governor’s signature.
