CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5105

Chapter 171, Laws of 2003

58th Legislature
2003 Regular Session



EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETERS



EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/27/03

Passed by the Senate April 21, 2003
  YEAS 43   NAYS 0

BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 10, 2003
  YEAS 94   NAYS 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


 
CERTIFICATE

I, Milton H. Doumit, Jr., Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5105 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

MILTON H. DOUMIT JR.
________________________________________    
Secretary
Approved May 9, 2003.








GARY F. LOCKE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
May 9, 2003 - 3:27 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5105
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

Passed Legislature - 2003 Regular Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2003 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Fraser, B. Sheldon, Carlson, McAuliffe and Kohl-Welles)

READ FIRST TIME 02/27/03.   



     AN ACT Relating to educational interpreters; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there is currently no requirement for educational interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students to be certified or to meet standardized qualifications or competencies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   By November 30, 2004, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with educators, parents, organizations representing special education, organizations representing educational interpreters and the interests of deaf and hearing impaired children, and other interested parties, shall conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the qualifications and competencies required of educational interpreters who assist deaf and hearing impaired students. The review shall include an analysis of all state and federal requirements for meeting the educational needs of deaf and hearing impaired students, including the requirement to provide educational interpreters, and shall identify all funding sources available to pay for those educational needs. The office shall make recommendations to the governor, appropriate legislative committees, and the state board of education on the following options:
     (1) Requiring that all educational interpreters for deaf students and hard of hearing students meet national registry standards;
     (2) Requiring the state board of education or the office of the superintendent of public instruction, as appropriate, to establish competencies for educational interpreters;
     (3) Identifying state and national training programs that could prepare educational interpreters to meet and maintain any standards or competencies necessary to serve deaf and hearing impaired students;
     (4) Studying the feasibility of using distance learning options as a way to both maintain the quality and increase the availability of educational interpreters;
     (5) Requiring the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in cooperation with institutions of higher education that have a deaf studies program, to provide a training program for educational interpreters. The training program should be accessible to all areas of Washington through a combination of interactive video conferences, on-line courses, and traditional teaching methods; and
     (6) Any other option that the office deems viable to increase and maintain the quality and availability of educational interpreters in a fiscally responsible manner.


         Passed by the Senate April 21, 2003.
         Passed by the House April 10, 2003.
         Approved by the Governor May 9, 2003.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 9, 2003.