MS SB2715

Expands the definition of "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).

Establishes three pathways for interpreter registration effective July 1, 2010: holding NAD or RID certification, achieving an ODHH-approved quality assurance screening level, or scoring 3.0 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA).

Clarifies that deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind consumers and the hearing persons who engage interpreters hold exclusive rights to information conveyed in interpreted communications, with limited exceptions for interpreters working with state agencies, private organizations, or schools for therapeutic or educational purposes.

Requires the registering authority (Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing) to provide oversight of quality assurance evaluations, including supervision of assessment tools, methods, procedures, and evaluator qualifications.

Establishes a two-year renewable registration period with a maximum fee of $100.00 annually and permits nonresident interpreters to work up to 15 days per year without registration; violations are misdemeanors punishable by fines of $200 to $1,000 and up to six months imprisonment.