Substitute House Bill No. 5230 Summary

• All persons providing interpreting services for compensation or as part of job duties must register annually with the Department of Aging and Disability Services and hold recognized national or state interpreter credentials, effective October 1, 2022.

• Interpreters in medical settings must hold comprehensive skills certificates, certificates of interpretation or transliteration, level four or higher National Association of the Deaf certification, or equivalent credentials from recognized certifying bodies.

• Interpreters in legal settings face higher standards, requiring comprehensive skills certificates, both interpretation and transliteration certificates, level five National Association of the Deaf certification, or equivalent credentials.

• Exemptions apply to family members and friends providing voluntary services, religious interpreters, emergency situation interpreters, students in supervised training programs, and certified interpreters from outside the state providing services for no more than 14 days per calendar year.

• Unregistered individuals who falsely represent themselves as registered interpreters or engage in fraudulent misrepresentation of credentials are guilty of a class C misdemeanor; the Department must maintain an internet registry of qualified interpreters and coordinate information across state agencies.