HI HB1748

Appropriates funds for the Office of Language Access to provide financial assistance to one hundred medical interpreters for training and certification in medical interpretation from nationally-recognized and accredited programs in fiscal year 2014-2015.

Requires award recipients to provide uncompensated medical interpreter services to the State and state-funded agencies for a specified number of hours within two years of receiving certification.

Appropriates additional funds for the Office of Language Access, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Center for Interpretation and Translation Studies, to develop medical glossaries in primary foreign languages spoken in Hawaii.

Addresses the lack of certified medical interpreters in Hawaii by reducing barriers related to training and certification costs, modeling Oregon's scholarship approach.

Takes effect on July 1, 2050.