Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department is planning to amend chapter 388-03 WAC, Certification of DSHS spoken language interpreters, translators, employees, and licensed agency personnel (LAPL); and other related rules as may be required.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.08.090, 45 C.F.R. Section 80.3 (b)(2), RCW 74.04.025, Civil Right[s] Act of 1964, Reyes vs. Thompson Consent Order.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: WAC 388-03-160 was implemented in April 2015. This section stipulates the requirements interpreters and translators must meet to maintain their certification or authorization. It is expected that a large number of interpreters and translators will have their certification or authorization expire due to not meeting requirements. To minimize the impact of a shrinking pool of certified or authorized interpreters and translators, we are proposing amendments. Rule revision is necessary to maintain an adequate pool of certified or authorized interpreters and translators in serving the limited English proficient (LEP) clients of the department.

Process for Developing New Rule: Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, the department of social and health services will file a proposal with the office of [the] code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Don Barnes, 360-902-8334, BarnesDR@dshs.wa.gov; Hungling Fu, 360-664-6035, fuh@dshs.wa.gov; or Jodi McBride, 360-664-6038, mcbrijh@dshs.wa.gov; 1115 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98501, fax 360-664-6183.