Bill Text: FL S0980 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Interpreters and Transliterators [SPSC]
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 [S0980 Detail]
Download: Florida-2010-S0980-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2010 SB 980 By Senator Wise 5-00176A-10 2010980__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to interpreters and transliterators; 3 creating s. 1002.362, F.S.; requiring the Florida 4 School for the Deaf and the Blind to designate an 5 entity to issue credentials to interpreters and 6 transliterators who provide services for persons who 7 are deaf or hard of hearing; providing definitions; 8 requiring that a person who provides interpreting or 9 transliterating services possess a credential issued 10 under the act; providing a temporary exception for 11 persons who hold a credential from another state; 12 requiring that the credentialing entity establish the 13 Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisory 14 Board; providing duties of the board; authorizing the 15 credentialing entity to seek injunctive relief for 16 certain violations; prohibiting the use of public 17 funds to employ interpreters or transliterators who do 18 not hold valid credentials; providing a temporary 19 exemption for persons practicing as interpreters or 20 transliterators on a specified date; providing an 21 effective date. 22 23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24 25 Section 1. Section 1002.362, Florida Statutes, is created 26 to read: 27 1002.362 Credentialing of interpreters and 28 transliterators.— 29 (1) The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind shall 30 designate a statewide entity to issue credentials to 31 interpreters and transliterators in this state. 32 (2) As used in this section, the term: 33 (a) “Credentialing entity” means the entity designated by 34 the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind pursuant to 35 subsection (1). 36 (b) “Deaf” means a nonfunctional sense of hearing for the 37 purpose of communication. A person who is deaf primarily uses 38 visual methods of communication. Unless otherwise specified, the 39 term also includes a person who is hard of hearing or a person 40 who is deaf-blind. 41 (c) “Deaf-blind” means that the senses of hearing and sight 42 are limited for the purpose of communication. A person who is 43 deaf-blind primarily uses visual or tactile methods of 44 communication. 45 (d) “Hard of hearing” means hearing loss that results in 46 the possible dependence on visual methods to communicate. 47 (e) “Interpreter” means a person who provides accessible 48 and effective communication between persons who are deaf or hard 49 of hearing and persons who are hearing, including, but not 50 limited to, communication through American Sign Language and 51 English or other modalities that involve visual, gestural, oral 52 or aural, and tactile methods of communication. 53 (f) “Sign language” means a continuum of visual-gestural 54 language and communication systems that is based on hand signs 55 and is not limited to American Sign Language. 56 (g) “Transliterator” means a person who provides accessible 57 and effective communication between persons who are deaf or hard 58 of hearing and persons who hear, primarily using sign language 59 or other signed mode of English and spoken English. 60 (3) Unless otherwise exempt as provided in subsection (4) 61 or subsection (8), a person who represents himself or herself as 62 an interpreter or transliterator or who provides interpreting or 63 transliterating services for remuneration or pro bono in 64 circumstances in which the services of a qualified interpreter 65 or transliterator are requested under the Americans with 66 Disabilities Act of 1990, s. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 67 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement 68 Act of 2004, or the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and the 69 regulations adopted thereunder, or other applicable state or 70 federal law, must possess a credential issued under this section 71 to provide interpreter or transliterator services. 72 (4) A person who holds a credential to practice as an 73 interpreter or transliterator in another state may practice for 74 2 years after initial employment in this state without being 75 issued a credential under this section. 76 (5) The credentialing entity, in cooperation with the 77 Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., shall 78 establish the Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 79 Advisory Board. The board shall recommend to the credentialing 80 entity policies, procedures, and actions necessary to issue a 81 credential to interpreters and transliterators, consistent with 82 standards endorsed by the Florida Registry of Interpreters for 83 the Deaf, Inc., the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., 84 and the National Association of the Deaf, Inc. 85 (6) The credentialing entity may seek injunctive relief to 86 enjoin persons who are practicing as interpreters or 87 transliterators but who do not hold a valid credential issued 88 under this section or who are not exempt as provided in 89 subsection (4) or subsection (8). 90 (7) Public funds may not be used to employ interpreters or 91 transliterators who do not hold a valid credential issued under 92 this section. 93 (8) The following persons are exempt from the requirements 94 of this section: 95 (a) A person who provides interpreting services in 96 situations where the delay in obtaining a credentialed 97 interpreter may result in immediate injury or economic loss. 98 (b) A student or intern practicing under the supervision of 99 an interpreter or transliterator who holds a valid credential. 100 (c) A noncredentialed person providing interpreting 101 services until a credentialed interpreter or transliterator is 102 secured in order to facilitate emergency services and care by a 103 hospital, pursuant to s. 395.1041, if a health care practitioner 104 determines that a delay in obtaining a credentialed interpreter 105 or transliterator may result in harm to a patient. 106 (9) A person practicing as an interpreter or transliterator 107 on July 1, 2010, must apply for a credential under this section. 108 Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) or subsection 109 (8), a person practicing as an interpreter or transliterator on 110 or after July 1, 2012, must hold a valid credential issued under 111 this section. 112 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.
