SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5474

BYSenators Newhouse, Vognild and Talmadge; by request of Administrator for the Courts

Requiring testing and certification of English language interpreters in court.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 23, 1989; February 24, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5474 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Pullen, Chairman; Hayner, Madsen, Nelson, Newhouse, Niemi, Rasmussen, Rinehart, Talmadge, Thorsness.

Senate Staff:Richard Rodger (786-7461)

                  February 27, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 24, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Under current law, only interpreters for the hearing- impaired are certified.  The law requires courts to provide interpreters for non-English speaking persons, but sets no standards for the interpreters.

SUMMARY:

When a non-English speaking person is a party to a legal proceeding, the individual presiding over the proceeding must appoint a certified interpreter.  The non-English speaking person may waive the right to a certified interpreter.  The presiding authority may appoint an uncertified interpreter, upon finding good cause.

The Office of the Administrator for the Courts establishes and administers a comprehensive testing and certification program for language interpreters.  The duties of language interpreters are specified.

Additionally, technical changes are made deleting references to "language interpreters" from the statute governing hearing- impaired interpreters.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Good cause for using an uncertified interpreter includes the unavailability of a certified interpreter.  The Administrator for the Courts selects which languages shall be certified.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Janet McLane, Office of the Administrator of the Courts (pro); Judge Heather Van Nuys, Yakima Superior Court (pro); Desiree Leigh, Washington State Minority and Justice Task Force (pro); Patricia Lee, Commission on Asian-American Affairs (pro); Hector Gonzales, Commission on Hispanic Affairs (pro); JoAnne Moore, Court Interpreters Task Force (pro); Kurt Sharar, Washington State Association of Counties (con); Mike Redman, WAPA (con); Andrea Dahl, Association of Washington Cities (con)