HI SB904

Establishes a health care interpreter qualification and certification system within the Department of Health to serve persons with limited English proficiency in health care settings.

Creates the Hawaii Board of Health Care Interpreters consisting of 15 members including health care consumers, educators, practitioners, hospital representatives, community health center representatives, interpreter organization representatives, advocacy organization representatives, higher education representatives, and regional representatives from Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui counties.

Authorizes the board to develop standards for testing, qualification, and certification of health care interpreters, including requirements for fluency, at least 60 hours of training in medical interpretation, practical internship experience, and passage of written and oral examinations in English and the target language.

Designates existing sections 321C-1 to 321C-7 as Part I (Office of Language Access) and creates new Part II for health care interpreters in Chapter 321C, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Appropriates $250,000 for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to establish at least four positions consisting of a program manager, two program specialists, and a clerk within the office of language access; effective July 1, 2015.