House Bill 1353 Summary

• Requires juvenile detention centers to adopt policies providing language and sign language interpretation services for youth with language barriers or who are deaf or hard of hearing, available 24 hours a day.

• Defines "deaf or hard of hearing" as individuals with significant hearing loss needing interpreter services, and "interpreter" as persons certified by the National Association of the Deaf, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or Mississippi Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

• Mandates centers post notices in admitting areas and facility entrances advertising interpretation services, train staff on language services, maintain lists of qualified interpreters, and develop community liaison groups to ensure service adequacy.

• Establishes state funding for interpretation services through a single statewide contract to be solicited and selected by the Personal Service Contract Board under new rules and regulations.

• Amends Section 43-21-321 to require each juvenile detention center to provide interpretation services as a minimum operational standard, effective July 1, 2015.