1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to education; modifying requirements for interpreters; amending Minnesota
1.3 Statutes 2022, section 122A.31, subdivision 1.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.31, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.6 Subdivision 1.Requirements for American sign language/English interpreters.(a)
1.7In addition to any other requirements that a school district establishes, any person employed
1.8to provide American sign language/English interpreting or sign transliterating services on
1.9a full-time or part-time basis for a school district after July 1, 2000, must:
1.10 (1) hold current interpreter and or transliterator certificates awarded by the Registry of
1.11Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), or the general level interpreter proficiency certificate awarded
1.12by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or a comparable state certification from
1.13the commissioner of education;, and
1.14 (2) satisfactorily complete an interpreter/transliterator training program affiliated with
1.15an accredited educational institution.; or
1.16 (2) hold a certified deaf interpreter certification issued by RID.
1.17 (b) New graduates of an interpreter/transliterator program affiliated with an accredited
1.18education institution or certified deaf interpreters who hold a certification issued by RID
1.19shall be granted a two-year provisional certificate by the commissioner. During the two-year
1.20provisional period, the interpreter/transliterator must develop and implement an education
1.21plan in collaboration with a mentor under paragraph (c).
1Section 1.
REVISOR CM/LN 23-0128612/20/22
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 170
NINETY-THIRD SESSION
Authored by Becker-Finn and Curran01/09/2023
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education Policy 2.1 (c) A mentor of a provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator must be an
2.2interpreter/transliterator who has either NAD level IV or V certification or RID certified
2.3interpreter and certified transliterator certification and have at least three years of
2.4interpreting/transliterating experience in any educational setting. The mentor, in collaboration
2.5with the provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator, shall develop and implement an
2.6education plan designed to meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (1), and include
2.7a weekly on-site mentoring process.
2.8 (d) Consistent with the requirements of this paragraph, a person holding a provisional
2.9certificate may apply to the commissioner for one time-limited extension. The commissioner,
2.10in consultation with the Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, must
2.11grant the person a time-limited extension of the provisional certificate based on the following
2.12documentation:
2.13 (1) letters of support from the person's mentor, a parent of a pupil the person serves, the
2.14special education director of the district in which the person is employed, and a representative
2.15from the regional service center of the deaf and hard-of-hearing;
2.16 (2) records of the person's formal education, training, experience, and progress on the
2.17person's education plan; and
2.18 (3) an explanation of why the extension is needed.
2.19 As a condition of receiving the extension, the person must comply with a plan and the
2.20accompanying time line timeline for meeting the requirements of this subdivision. A
2.21committee composed of the deaf and hard-of-hearing state specialist, a representative of
2.22the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, a representative of the Minnesota Registry of
2.23Interpreters of for the Deaf, and other appropriate persons committee members selected by
2.24the commissioner must develop the plan and time line timeline for the person receiving the
2.25extension.
2.26 (e) A school district may employ only an interpreter/transliterator who has been certified
2.27under paragraph (a) or (b), or for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under
2.28paragraph (d).
2.29 (f) An interpreter who meets the requirements of paragraph (a) is "essential personnel"
2.30as defined in section 125A.76, subdivision 1.
2Section 1.
REVISOR CM/LN 23-0128612/20/22