Bill Text: CA AB432 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-06-26 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD. [AB432 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB432-Amended.html
NOYES
Local Program:
NO
SECTION 1.
Bill Title: California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-06-26 - From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD. [AB432 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB432-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 23, 2023 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 432
| Introduced by Assembly Member Mike Fong |
February 06, 2023 |
An act to add and repeal Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 68580) of Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Government Code, relating to courts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 432, as amended, Mike Fong.
Court interpreters: workforce development program. California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.
Existing law generally requires a person who interprets in a court proceeding to be a certified court interpreter, except as specified. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to designate languages requiring certification programs and requires the Judicial Council to adopt and publish guidelines, standards, and procedures to determine which certification entities will be approved to test and certify interpreters.
This bill would create, until January 1, 2029, the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program to be administered by the Judicial Council to develop training and increase the number of eligible applicants for employment as court
interpreters. The bill would require the Judicial Council, no later than September 1, 2024, to select a minimum of 4 counties, including the County of Los Angeles, to participate in the pilot program, and would authorize the Judicial Council to select up to 10 applicants per superior court in the program. The bill would require the Judicial Council, in collaboration with participating courts and designated labor organizations representing court interpreters in a county, to develop a training and employment plan for individuals selected to participate in the program. The bill would require the training and employment plan to include, among other things, options for appropriate training to prepare for the applicable interpreter exam authorized by the Judicial Council. The bill would also create the California Interpreter Workforce Development Plan fund to, upon appropriation, be used by the Judicial Council for the purpose of the pilot program, including paying for the costs of training, coursework, and up to
3 interpreter exam fees for applicants.
Existing law requires, in any action or proceeding pursuant to specified provisions of law, that an interpreter be provided by the court for a party or witness who is incapable of understanding or speaking the English language to interpret the proceedings in a language that the party understands and to assist communication between the party and their attorney.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a workforce development pathway program to increase the number
of court interpreters.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 68580) is added to Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Government Code, to read:Article 4.5. California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program
68580.
There is hereby established the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program to be administered by the Judicial Council for the purpose of developing training and to increase the number of eligible applicants for employment as court interpreters.68581.
For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:(a) “Court interpreter” means an employee of a superior court who provides language access services in person, within a courtroom or courthouse consistent with law.
(b) “Pilot program” means the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.
68582.
(a) No later than September 1, 2024, the Judicial Council shall select superior courts in no less than four counties, including the County of Los Angeles, to participate in the pilot program.(b) Under the pilot program, individuals who are interested in working as a court interpreter in the superior court of any county selected to participate in the pilot program shall apply to the Judicial Council. The Judicial Council may select up to 10 individuals per superior court, per year to participate in this pilot program.
(c) The Judicial Council shall give first priority to applicants who would be hired as court interpreters and will provide language services in one of the
designated major languages for that county if the superior court can demonstrate a reasonable need for that interpreter. The Judicial Council shall give secondary priority for the hiring of court interpreters who will provide language services in languages that are not within the four major languages for that county, if the superior court can demonstrate a need for that interpreter.
(d) The Judicial Council may contract with a statewide labor organization representing court interpreters to assist with the development, assistance, or other services related to this pilot program.
68583.
(a) The Judicial Council shall, in collaboration with participating courts and the designated labor organization that represents court interpreters in a county, which may include a statewide labor organization, develop a training and employment plan for any individual selected to participate in this program.(b) The training and employment plan developed by the Judicial Council shall, at minimum, include all of the following:
(1) Options for appropriate training to prepare for the applicable interpreter exam authorized by the Judicial Council. These options shall include any coursework or program offered by a statewide labor organization representing court interpreters, and
any coursework or training offered by a California community college, state university, or University of California campus, including any extension programs.
(2) An agreement between the superior court and the Judicial Council for the superior court to hire the individual participant upon completion of the training or coursework pursuant to paragraph (1) unless an alternative arrangement has been made.
(3) Explanation of how the fees and other costs of the training or coursework pursuant to paragraph (1) will be wholly paid for through the pilot program.
(4) Specific timelines for coursework or training start and target completion dates.
(5) Any other relevant information to ensure successful completion of coursework or
training.
68584.
(a) The California Interpreter Workforce Development Plan fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the moneys in the fund shall be used for the purpose of the pilot program described in this article.(b) The costs of training, coursework, and up to three interpreter exam fees for an individual applicant shall be paid out of the California Interpreter Workforce Development Plan fund.
(c) The Judicial Council may make deductions from the fund to cover its administrative expenses for administering the pilot program.
68585.
This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a workforce development pathway program to increase the number of court interpreters.
