3.1.2. State and regional legislation

In 2007, a bottom-up language policy promoted by the Spanish National Confederation of Deaf People (CNSE), with support from social and academic actors, led to the enactment of Law 27/2007 on October 23. This law recognises Spanish sign languages and regulates support for oral communication for deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind people. It establishes their right to learn, understand, and use sign language in various areas, including public goods and services, transportation, relations with public administrations, political participation, social media, and telecommunications.

Following Law 27/2007, Catalan Law 17/2010 (June 3) for Catalan Sign Language (LSC) and Andalusian Law 11/2011 (December 5) were passed. Royal Decree 921/2010 (July 16) amended the Statute of the Royal Board on Disability to regulate the Center for Linguistic Standardization of Spanish Sign Language (CNLSE). A resolution on April 15, 2015, established June 14 as the National Day of Spanish Sign Languages.

The fourth final provision of Law 27/2007 mandates the government to develop regulations on Spanish Sign Language (LSE) use and remove communication barriers. In response, Royal Decree 674/2023 (July 18) approved regulations on LSE use conditions and oral communication support.

On February 6, 2024, the Council of Ministers declared expressions of deaf culture and LSE as a Representative Manifestation of Intangible Cultural Heritage through Royal Decree 155/2024.

At the regional level, in addition to the Catalan and Andalusian laws, LSE is present in the Statutes of Autonomy of Andalusia, Aragon, Canary Islands, Castile and León, Valencia, Extremadura, and the Balearic Islands, as well as LSC in the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia.

Catalan Law 17/2010 recognises LSC as part of Catalonia's linguistic heritage, ensuring its standardisation, protection, and promotion. Decree 142/2012 establishes the LSC Social Council to manage LSC linguistic policy.

Andalusian Law 11/2011 created a Special Monitoring Commission within the Andalusian Council for the Care of Persons with Disabilities. It also led to the approval of Decree 119/2023, which sets technical accessibility standards and eliminates communication barriers.

While state and regional legislation frequently reference sign languages, they often approach them primarily from a disability or accessibility perspective. This legislation is available on the CNLSE website and LeySign by CNSE.

Recommended bibliography

Belda Pérez-Pedrero, E. (2012). La protección constitucional y legal de la lengua de signos. Lex Nova.

Belda Pérez-Pedrero, E. y Sierra Fernández, F. J. (2022). Informe de valoración jurídica de la Ley 27/2007, de 23 de octubre, por la que se reconocen las lenguas de signos españolas y se regulan los medios de apoyo a la comunicación oral de las personas sordas, con discapacidad auditiva y sordociegas tras 15 años. Real Patronato sobre Discapacidad-CNLSE.

Cabeza Pereiro, M. C. y Eijo Santos, F. (2018). Lenguas de signos en el estado español: estatus y territorialidad. Estudos de Lingüística Galega, 10, 27.

Cuenca Gómez, P. (2012). Estudios sobre los derechos de las personas sordas. Dykinson.

Esteban, M. L. y Ramallo, F. (2019). Derechos lingüísticos y comunidad sorda: claves para entender la minorización. Revista de Estudios de Lenguas de Signos REVLES: Aspectos lingüísticos y de adquisición de las lenguas de signos, Morales López, E. y Jarque Moyano, M. J. (Eds.), 1, 20-52.

Jarque Moyano, M. J. (2012). Las lenguas de signos: su estudio científico y reconocimiento legal. Anuario de Filología. Estudios de Lingüística, 2, 33-48.

Jarque, M. J., Bosch-Baliarda, M. y González, M. (2019). Legal recognition and regulation of Catalan Sign Language. En De Meulder, M., Murray, J. y  McKee, R. (Eds.), The Legal Recognition of Sign Languages Advocacy and Outcomes Around the World (pp. 268-283). Multilingual Matters.

Quer, J. (2012). Legal Pathways to the Recognition of Sign Languages: A Comparison of the Catalan and Spanish Sign Language Acts. Sign Language Studies, 12(4), 565–582.

Sierra Fernández, F. J. (2023). Protección Jurídico-Constitucional de las Personas Sordas. Tirant Lo Blanch.

Esteban Saiz, M. L. (2024). Socio-historical background: status: Current legislation: State and regional legislation. In S. Villameriel García (Ed.), Gramática de la Lengua de Signos Española (GramLSE) / Grammar of Spanish Sign Language (GramLSE). Real Patronato sobre Discapacidad-Centro de Normalización Lingüística de la Lengua de Signos Española. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://cnlse.es/es/recursos/gramlse/ingles/index/socio-historical-background/chapter-3-status/3-1-current-legislation/3-1-2-state-and-regional-legislation