(1) If you have been certified or authorized as a department bilingual employee or LAPL, your status does not expire as long as you remain in a designated bilingual position within the position cluster for which you were certified/authorized. Otherwise:

(a) If you moved out of a designated bilingual position and do not use your bilingual skills for four consecutive years or longer, you need to retest for the position cluster you are reentering; or

(b) If you are moving into a new designated bilingual position within a new position cluster, you need to meet the test requirements for the position cluster you are entering.

(2) If you have been certified or authorized as an interpreter or translator and are not a department employee, you can maintain your certification or authorization status by:

(a) Earning a minimum of twenty credit hours of DSHS approved continuing education (CE) every four years, of which at least one credit hour per year must be in ethics training. A current list of DSHS recognized continuing education and/or professional development courses is published on the LTC web site; or

(b) Retake the examination within four years from the date you were certified/authorized if you do not earn a minimum of twenty credit hours of DSHS recognized continuing education during this time frame. Once you pass all test requirements, a new certificate or authorization letter will be issued to you with a new expiration date. Your name and contact information will then be included for publication.

(c) Continuing education credits (CEC) earned before January 1, 2015 will not be accepted, even if the CEC were DSHS approved.