Advocacy and Outreach

Legislation Advocacy 2021

AB435 – Locked Hearing Aids

This legislation was signed by the Governor!  Success!

Fact Sheet on AB435

More information on AB435:     https://www.hearinglossca.org/california-stateassembly-bill-ab-435-locked-hearing-aids/

PowerPoint on Hearing Assistive Technology

Looping Efforts:

Long Beach Civic Center: 

Ever decided to not go to a City of Long Beach public meeting because you knew you wouldn’t be able to hear?  As soon as the new Civic Center project is finished, that will no longer be a problem.  The City has adopted an Administrative Regulation that states that permanent hearing loops will be installed in rooms that are 500 sq. ft or larger, have amplified sound and are intended to be used as public meeting space!

Thanks to the persistence of Maxine Barton-Bauman, our Chapter’s Looping co-Chair, several locations in the new Civic Center will have loops installed.  She has worked tirelessly toward this end for 3 years. Maxine, along with Ram Kakkar, are our looping advocates.  The rooms being looped include:

• Council Chambers

• City Hall – Media Room

• City Hall – Large Conference Rooms (Levels 2, 3 and 10)

• Library – Large Community Rooms (3 rooms)

• Port – Multipurpose Room (Level 1)

• Port – Training Centers (Level 2)

• Port – Technology Education Center (Level 9)

• Port – Trade Reception Room (Level 11)

This is fantastic news!  The Civic Center project is currently on schedule for opening in the Summer of 2019.  If you have a telecoil in your hearing aids, you will be able to walk right into a meeting and hear everything that is going on. Get involved in your City!