SF 3423

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health; requiring the commissioner of health to establish a registry of
health care interpreter services; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin INTERPRETER SERVICES QUALITY INITIATIVE.
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new text begin (a) The commissioner shall establish a statewide roster, registry, and certification
process for providers of high quality, spoken language health care interpreter services.
The roster, registry, and certification process shall be based on the findings and
recommendations set forth by the Interpreter Services Work Group required under Laws
2007, chapter 147, article 12, section 13. By July 1, 2009, the commissioner must do
the following:
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new text begin (1) establish a registry of spoken language health care interpreters, including:
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new text begin (i) development of standards for registration that set forth educational or training
requirements, demonstration of language proficiency and interpreting skills, and
agreement to abide by a code of ethics and a criminal background check;
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new text begin (ii) recommendations for appropriate alternate requirements in languages for which
testing and training programs do not exist;
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new text begin (iii) recommendations for appropriate registration fees; and
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new text begin (iv) recommendations for establishing and maintaining the standards for inclusion
in the registry;
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new text begin (2) develop a roster of all available interpreters to address access concerns,
particularly in rural areas; and
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new text begin (3) develop a certification process based on national and regional testing and
certification processes for spoken language interpreters for a statewide spoken language
interpreter certification program to be implemented by January 1, 2012.
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new text begin (b) The commissioner may convene an advisory group to advise on the standards
required to develop a certification process. The advisory group may be made up of one
representative from each of the following stakeholder groups:
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new text begin (1) clinic administrators;
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new text begin (2) consumers of sign language interpreting;
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new text begin (3) consumers of spoken language interpreting;
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new text begin (4) direct health care service providers who use interpreter services in the course of
their practice;
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new text begin (5) health plans;
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new text begin (6) hospitals;
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new text begin (7) interpreter training/certification;
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new text begin (8) interpreting stakeholder group;
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new text begin (9) local public health and social service agencies;
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new text begin (10) rural representatives;
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new text begin (11) sign language interpreters;
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new text begin (12) spoken language interpreters or service agencies;
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new text begin (13) state agencies sign and spoken language interpreters;
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new text begin (14) a representative from the Department of Health; and
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new text begin (15) a representative from the Department of Human Services.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $....... is appropriated from the state government special revenue fund for fiscal
year 2009 to the commissioner of health to establish and implement a registry of spoken
language health care interpreter services.
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