1/22/01

                                                           Interpreter Bill POSITION PAPER 2001


Background: Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing individuals are entitled to the provision of reasonable accommodations pursuant to the various federal, state, and local statutes when accessing government and private sector services and programs. While the guiding statutory framework in the Americans with Disabilities Act requires private and public sector provision of a qualified interpreter, numerous obstacles to satisfactory implementation of the ADA are present. Firstly, there is no clear definition for what constitutes a "qualified" interpreter other than an advisory opinion from the Department of Justice encouraging the use of a certified interpreter. Secondly, there is a lack of close monitoring of the profession for quality assurance, ethical conduct, and background checks.

Lastly, many interpretersin the profession work in demanding situations requiring the exercise of
professional knowledge and judgement, e.g., situations in which medical, mental health, and legal judgements, must be made by highly trained professionals. These professionals and the affected consumers are completely
reliant upon the accurate translation of complex concepts as relayed by the interpreter(s). The danger of inaccurate translation may create threat to the safety, health, and welfare of the deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearingindividual, as well as the public, and many interpreters in the profession
do not carry insurance coverage to protect consumers impacted by torts
committed by interpreters.

Action Requested: Legislation to require the screening, certification, and monitoring of the sign language interpreter profession.

1. This legislation will define criteria needed to meet the designation of "qualified" interpreter.
2. Consumers will be protected against the divulgence of private, proprietary, and sensitive public and private information by interpreters breaching ethical guidelines and that interpreters for vulnerable children
and adults have passed background checks for possible criminal and unethical conduct.

For More Information:
Washington State Association of the Deaf - Jenifer Torrey Baker
jtbphoto@aol.com
Southwest Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Executive Director, Jim Morris
swcd@pacifier.com,
Washington State Association of the Deaf Interpreter Chapter - Ellen Carpentier
Washington State Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf - Laura Petersen
laura@thenrggroup.com


Bill is now on legislation website:

In the House:

To read the bill:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/house/1175-1199/1192.pdf
To get information on the status of the House Bill:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/house/1175-1199/1192_history.txt

In the Senate:

To read the bill
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/senate/5275-5299/5288.pdf
To get information on the status of the Senate Bill:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2001-02/senate/5275-5299/5288_history.txt


1/08/01
Curently this bill is now being revised at the Capital in Olympia. 

Legislation Team
Larry Petersen/Jenifer Baker - WSAD 
Kathy Flower/Ellen Carpentier -WSADIC
Laura Petersen - WSRID

Sign Language Interpreting Legislation

Proposed changes to the OLD intepreter bill OF 2000
Sec 102 Pg 2 Lines 20, 24; Change effectiveness date to Dec 2003
Sec 103 Pg 2 Line 37 & Pg 3 Line 1; delete " or 2) has obtained a certificate of completion of deaf interpretation program from a community or technical college in this state or an equivalent program"
Sec 103 1) posses current certification from a recognized national organization
Sec 104 Pg 3 & 4; pg 4 line 2; add ‘(d) interpreting in non-mental health, non legal and non-life threatening situations."
Sec 103 pg 3; change lines 3-10 to A licensed interpreter must have passed a criminal background check through Washington state patrol criminal identification system under RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.834, 10.97.030, and 10.97.050, but the criminal background check need not include a fingerprint check. "(remove insurance requirement- ed interpreters and staff interpreters make this confusing)
Sec 104; page 3; #5, lines 27-29; change to "Residents and non-residents Of this state with current certification by a recognized nationally certifying organization who interpret for 200 hours or less in any year,"
Sec 107; page 5; line 27; replace "The board shall advise the director" with "The board shall make recommendations to the director"
Sec 107; page 5; lines 28; replace "of professional development" with "of interpreter services"
Sec 203 #2 change to; "’intermediary interpreter’ means a hearing impaired interpreter who holds a certificate from a nationally recognized organization," who meets the
Sec 207; pg 11; line 6 add licensed interpreter " or through written means"

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