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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
Senate Bill 950
Ordered by the Senate April 7
Including Senate Amendments dated April 7
Sponsored by Senator SOLLMAN, Representative NERON
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: The Act makes some changes to the laws about sign language interpreters. The Act says
the SBSLI can start two new types of sign language interpreter licenses. (Flesch Readability Score:
70.9).
Allows the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters to establish by rule criteria for the issu-
ance of a supervisory sign language interpreter license [or sign language interpreter license by
endorsement].Allows a person authorized to provide signed language interpretation services
in another state to provide those services in this state without a license under certain con-
ditions. Directs the Health Licensing Office to issue a sign language interpreter-in-training license
to a qualified applicant. Allows a specified person to provide signed language interpretation services
on a temporary basis without a license. Directs the board to establish licensure fees. Repeals the
specialty sign language interpreter licenses.
Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to sign language interpreters; creating new provisions; amending ORS 676.753, 676.756,
676.759, 676.771, 676.783 and 676.786; repealing ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768; and prescribing
an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. Sections 2 and 3 of this 2025 Act are added to and made a part of ORS 676.750
to676.789.
SECTION 2.(1) A person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to provide signed lan-
guage interpretation services in another state may provide signed language interpretation
services in this state without obtaining a license from the State Board of Sign Language
Interpretersif:
(a) The person’s license or other authorization is issued by a state recognized by the
board as acceptable to qualify the person to provide signed language interpretation services
in this state; and
(b) If requested by the person’s employer or entity for which the person contracts, the
person demonstrates the license or other authorization is in good standing.
(2) Nothing in this section prohibits a person described in this section from applying for
a license under ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(3) The board may adopt rules to carry out this section. The board may not require a
person described in this section to submit any information or pay a fee to the board in order
to provide signed language interpretation services as allowed by this section.
SECTION 3. (1) The Health Licensing Office may issue a sign language interpreter-in-
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
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training license to an applicant who:
(a) Is at least 18 years of age;
(b) Demonstrates compliance with the code of professional conduct authored by the
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or its successor organization, and the National Asso-
ciation of the Deaf, or its successor organization, and approved by the State Board of Sign
LanguageInterpreters;
(c) Meets the requirements established by the board relating to minimum qualifications,
education or training or any combination thereof;
(d) Meets any other requirements established by the board; and
(e) Pays a fee established by the board. The fees established under this paragraph may
not, together with other fees collected under ORS 676.750 to 676.789, exceed the cost of ad-
ministering ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 676.572, the board may determine whether a license issued un-
der this section may be renewed on a case by case basis.
(3)(a) A licensed sign language interpreter-in-training may provide signed language in-
terpretation services only under the direct, in-person supervision of a licensed supervisory
sign language interpreter or a licensed sign language interpreter.
(b) A licensed supervisory sign language interpreter or licensed sign language interpreter
who supervises a licensed sign language interpreter-in-training is responsible for the signed
language services provided by the licensed sign language interpreter-in-training.
SECTION 4. ORS 676.753 is amended to read:
676.753. (1) The Health Licensing Office may issue a supervisory sign language interpreter li-
cense to an applicant who:
(a) Is at least 18 years of age;
(b) Demonstrates compliance with the code of professional conduct authored by the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, or its successor organization, and the National Association of the Deaf,
or its successor organization, and approved by the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters;
(c) Has at least three years of qualifying experience, as determined by the board;
(d) Meets the requirements established by the board relating to minimum qualifications, educa-
tion or training or any combination thereof;
(e) Meets any other requirements established by the board; and
(f) Pays a fee established by the [office] board. The fees established under this paragraph
may not, together with other fees collected under ORS 676.750 to 676.789, exceed the cost of
administering ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 676.572, a license issued under this section may be renewed ev-
ery three years.
[(2)] (3) A licensed supervisory sign language interpreter[:]
[(a) May not provide signed language interpretation services in a legal or medical setting without
a license issued under ORS 676.765 or 676.768.]
[(b)] may supervise licensed provisional sign language interpreters and licensed sign language
interpreters-in-training.
SECTION 5. ORS 676.756 is amended to read:
676.756. (1) The Health Licensing Office may issue a sign language interpreter license to an
applicantwho:
(a) Is at least 18 years of age;
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(b) Demonstrates compliance with the code of professional conduct authored by the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, or its successor organization, and the National Association of the Deaf,
or its successor organization, and approved by the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters;
(c) Meets the requirements established by the board relating to minimum qualifications, educa-
tion or training or any combination thereof;
(d) Meets any other requirements established by the board; and
(e) Pays a fee established by the [office] board. The fees established under this paragraph
may not, together with other fees collected under ORS 676.750 to 676.789, exceed the cost of
administering ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 676.572, a license issued under this section may be renewed [twice]
every three years.
(3) A licensed sign language interpreter may [not provide signed language interpretation services
in a legal or medical setting without a license issued under ORS 676.765 or 676.768] supervise li-
censed sign language interpreters-in-training.
SECTION 6. ORS 676.759 is amended to read:
676.759. (1) The Health Licensing Office may issue a provisional sign language interpreter li-
cense to an applicant who:
(a) Is at least 18 years of age;
(b) Demonstrates compliance with the code of professional conduct authored by the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, or its successor organization, and the National Association of the Deaf,
or its successor organization, and approved by the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters;
(c) Meets the requirements established by the board relating to minimum qualifications, educa-
tion or training or any combination thereof;
(d) Meets any other requirements established by the board; and
(e) Pays a fee established by the [office] board. The fees established under this paragraph
may not, together with other fees collected under ORS 676.750 to 676.789, exceed the cost of
administering ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 676.572, a license issued under this section may be renewed [up to
five times] every three years, but not more than twice .
(3) A licensed provisional sign language interpreter[:]
[(a)] may provide signed language interpretation services only under the supervision of a li-
censed supervisory sign language interpreter. The supervision may include supervision by re-
mote means and need not be in real time.
[(b) May not provide signed language interpretation services in an educational, legal or medical
setting without a license issued under section ORS 676.762, 676.765 or 676.768.]
SECTION 7. ORS 676.771 is amended to read:
676.771. (1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection and section 2 of this 2025
Act, a person who is not licensed under ORS 676.750 to 676.789 may not provide signed language
interpretation services.
(b) A person who is not licensed under ORS 676.750 to 676.789 may provide signed language
interpretationservices:
(A) In circumstances in which a license issued under ORS 676.750 to 676.789 is not required.
(B) In emergency situations involving imminent or immediate harm and during which a licensee
is not available.
(C) In other extenuating circumstances, as determined by the State Board of Sign Language In-
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terpreters.
(D) If the person is a qualified interpreter under ORS 45.288 or a court interpreter certified
under ORS 45.291 providing signed language interpretation services for the purpose of a proceeding
in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court or a circuit court or at the direction
or with the approval of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the presiding judge of the court
in which the proceeding occurs.
(E) On a temporary basis not to exceed the number of days in a calendar year determined
by the board if the person is authorized in another state or jurisdiction or otherwise quali-
fied, as determined by the board, to provide signed language interpretation services.
(2) A person who is not licensed under ORS 676.750 to 676.789 may not assume or use any title,
words, abbreviations, signs or insignias, including but not limited to the titles “licensed supervisory
sign language interpreter,” “licensed sign language interpreter,” “licensed provisional sign language
interpreter[,]” [“licensed educational sign language interpreter,” “licensed legal sign language inter-
preter” or “licensed medical sign language interpreter,”] or “licensed sign language interpreter-
in-training,” that indicate that the person is licensed to provide signed language interpretation
services under ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
(3) For the purpose of providing signed language interpretation services, a person may not em-
ploy or contract with an individual who is not licensed to provide signed language interpretation
services under ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
SECTION 8. ORS 676.783 is amended to read:
676.783. The State Board of Sign Language Interpreters:
(1) Shall advise the Health Licensing Office in the establishment of:
(a) A publicly available registry of licensees that includes at least the names and specific license
of each licensee.
(b) A process to receive and address grievances regarding licensees and signed language inter-
pretation services.
(2) Shall adopt rules to carry out ORS 676.750 to 676.789, including rules to:
(a) Establish standards relating to minimum qualifications, education or training or any combi-
nation thereof for issuance of licenses under ORS 676.750 to 676.789;
(b) Determine qualifications for renewal of licenses issued under ORS 676.750 to 676.789;
(c) Establish supervision requirements; [and]
(d) Establish a code of professional conduct for sign language interpreters licensed under ORS
676.750 to 676.789[.]; and
(e) Notwithstanding ORS 676.576, establish fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses
under ORS 676.750 to 676.789. In establishing fees, the board shall consider:
(A) The funding requirements of the office as related to carrying out the office’s duties
under ORS 676.750 to 676.789; and
(B) The national averages for similar fees.
(3) May establish additional specialty licenses for sign language interpreters that the board de-
termines necessary.
SECTION 9. ORS 676.786 is amended to read:
676.786. The Health Licensing Office [and Department of Education may] shall adopt rules with
the advice of the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters to carry out the office’s [and the
department’s] duties under ORS 676.750 to 676.789.
SECTION 10.ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768 are repealed.
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SECTION 11. A license issued under ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768 before the operative
date specified in section 12 of this 2025 Act is valid until January 1, 2029. The holder of a li-
cense issued under ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768 may, on and after the operative date
specified in section 12 of this 2025 Act, provide signed language interpretation services in
settings determined by the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters.
SECTION 12. (1) Sections 2 and 3 of this 2025 Act, the amendments to ORS 676.753,
676.756, 676.759, 676.771, 676.783 and 676.786 by sections 4 to 9 of this 2025 Act and the repeal
of ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768 by section 10 of this 2025 Act become operative on January
1,2026.
(2) The Health Licensing Office and the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters may
take any action before the operative date specified in subsection (1) of this section that is
necessary for the office and the board to exercise, on and after the operative date specified
in subsection (1) of this section, all of the duties, functions and powers conferred on the of-
fice and the board by sections 2 and 3 of this 2025 Act, the amendments to ORS 676.753,
676.756, 676.759, 676.771, 676.783 and 676.786 by sections 4 to 9 of this 2025 Act and the repeal
of ORS 676.762, 676.765 and 676.768 by section 10 of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 13. This 2025 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the date on which the 2025
regular session of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die.
[5]