1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; establishing a work group to study the provision of interpreter 
1.3 	services to health care patients.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. INTERPRETER SERVICES WORK GROUP.
 1.6 	(a) The commissioner of health shall, in consultation with the commissioners of 
1.7 	commerce, human services, and employee relations, convene a work group to study the 
1.8 	provision of interpreter services to patients in medical and dental care settings. The work 
1.9 	group shall include at least one representative from each of the following groups:
1.10 	(1) consumers;
1.11 	(2) patient advocates;
1.12 	(3) interpreters;
1.13 	(4) interpreter service providers or agencies;
1.14 	(5) health plan companies;
1.15 	(6) fully insured purchasers;
1.16 	(7) self-insured purchasers;
1.17 	(8) hospitals;
1.18 	(9) health care providers;
1.19 	(10) dental providers;
1.20 	(11) clinic administrators;
1.21 	(12) state agency staff from the departments of health, human services, and 
1.22 	employee relations;
1.23 	(13) local county social services agencies; and
2.1 	(14) other health care professionals involved in the care and treatment of patients 
2.2 	and other groups deemed necessary by the commissioner of health.
2.3 	(b) The work group shall develop findings and recommendations on the following: 
2.4 	(1) assuring access to interpreter services;
2.5 	(2) compliance with requirements of federal law and guidance;
2.6 	(3) developing a quality assurance program to ensure the quality of health care 
2.7 	interpreting services, including requirements for training and establishing a certification 
2.8 	process; and 
2.9 	(4) identifying broad-based funding mechanisms for interpreter services.
2.10 	(c) The work group shall evaluate models adopted by other states and seek input 
2.11 	from the Interpreting Stakeholders Group (ISG) that meets under the auspices of the 
2.12 	Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA). The commissioner 
2.13 	shall submit the findings and the recommendations of the work group to the chairs of the 
2.14 	health policy and finance committees in the house and senate by February 15, 2008.