1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to spoken language interpreters; establishing 
  1.3             a voluntary registry administered by the department of 
  1.4             human services; appropriating money; proposing coding 
  1.5             for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [256.487] [REGISTRY OF SPOKEN LANGUAGE 
  1.8   INTERPRETERS.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT OF VOLUNTARY REGISTRY.] The 
  1.10  commissioner of human services shall establish a voluntary 
  1.11  registry for spoken language and health care interpreters.  The 
  1.12  commissioner must maintain a record of all registered 
  1.13  interpreters and must provide a listing of registered 
  1.14  interpreters to any person who requests a list and pays the 
  1.15  established fee.  The commissioner must designate a curriculum 
  1.16  and a code of ethics that meets the requirements for registry of 
  1.17  spoken language and health care interpreters. 
  1.18     Subd. 2.  [REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION.] A person may be 
  1.19  registered as a spoken language interpreter who: 
  1.20     (1) demonstrates knowledge of a code of ethics by passing a 
  1.21  test approved by the commissioner and certifies that the 
  1.22  interpreter will abide by a code of ethics; 
  1.23     (2) demonstrates spoken proficiency in each language by 
  1.24  passing a test approved by the commissioner; and 
  1.25     (3) demonstrates completion of two basic courses in general 
  2.1   interpreting in a curriculum approved by the commissioner.  
  2.2      Subd. 3.  [REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.] A person may be 
  2.3   registered as a health care interpreter if the person completes 
  2.4   the requirements for spoken language interpreters and 
  2.5   demonstrates completion of a health care interpreting curriculum 
  2.6   and testing approved by the commissioner. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  [INTERPRETER REGISTRY COUNCIL.] 
  2.8      The commissioner may appoint an interpreter registry 
  2.9   council to advise the commissioner on implementing the voluntary 
  2.10  spoken language registry.  The council must include spoken 
  2.11  language interpreters.  The council is organized under Minnesota 
  2.12  Statutes, chapter 15.  
  2.13     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.14     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.15  commissioner of human services for the start-up costs of a 
  2.16  voluntary registry of spoken language interpreters under section 
  2.17  1 and the administrative costs of the interpreter registry 
  2.18  council under section 2.  This appropriation does not cancel but 
  2.19  is available until expended.