MS HB1104

Expands interpreter certification to include credentials from the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), and other nationally recognized certifying bodies approved by the Mississippi Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH).

Allows interpreters to register through one of three pathways: holding NAD or RID certification, holding an ODHH-approved quality assurance screening level, or scoring 3.0 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA).

Grants the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, oversight authority over in-state quality assurance evaluations to ensure proper assessment tools, methods, procedures, and qualified evaluators.

Extends interpreter confidentiality protections to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind consumers, with exceptions for interpreters working with state agencies, private organizations, or schools for therapeutic, educational, or rehabilitation purposes.

Permits nonresident interpreters licensed or certified in other states to work up to 15 days annually in Mississippi without registration; those working more than 15 days must register with fees not to exceed $100.00 per year.