The Ohio House of Representatives today passed Senate Bill 304, which designates May as “Better Hearing and Speech Month.”

The bill’s primary purpose is to increase public awareness of communication disorders and to promote treatment to improve the quality of life of individuals who experience difficulty speaking, hearing or understanding.

An estimated 42 million Americans today have some type of communication disorder, which, due to lost work productivity, special education and medical treatment, causes an economic impact of more than $1.45 billion each year in Ohio alone.

Senate Bill 304 will now be sent to Governor Kasich for his signature.