Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4445 Compare Versions

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1	1	H.B. No. 4445
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the licensing and appointment of court interpreters.
6	6	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	7	SECTION 1. Section 57.002, Government Code, is amended by
8	8	adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
9	9	(b-1) A licensed court interpreter appointed by a court
10	10	under Subsection (a) or (b) must hold a license that includes the
11	11	appropriate designation under Section 57.043(d) that indicates the
12	12	interpreter is permitted to interpret in that court.
13	13	SECTION 2. Section 57.043, Government Code, is amended by
14	14	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read
15	15	as follows:
16	16	(a) The executive director shall issue a court interpreter
17	17	license to an applicant who:
18	18	(1) can interpret for an individual who can hear but
19	19	who does not comprehend English or communicate in English;
20	20	(2) passes the appropriate examination prescribed by
21	21	the executive director not earlier than two years before the date
22	22	the executive director receives the applicant's application for a
23	23	license; and
24	24	(3) possesses the other qualifications for the license
25	25	required by this subchapter or by rules adopted under this
26	26	subchapter.
27	27	(d) A license issued under this subchapter must include at
28	28	least one of the following designations:
29	29	(1) a basic designation that permits the interpreter
30	30	to interpret court proceedings in justice courts and municipal
31	31	courts that are not municipal courts of record, other than a
32	32	proceeding before the court in which the judge is acting as a
33	33	magistrate; or
34	34	(2) a master designation that permits the interpreter
35	35	to interpret court proceedings in all courts in this state,
36	36	including justice courts and municipal courts described by
37	37	Subdivision (1).
38	38	(e) In adopting rules relating to licensing under this
39	39	subchapter, the commission shall, after consulting with the board,
40	40	prescribe the minimum score an individual must achieve on an
41	41	examination to receive a license that includes a basic designation
42	42	under Subsection (d) and the minimum score an individual must
43	43	achieve to receive a license that includes a master designation
44	44	under that subsection.
45	45	SECTION 3. Section 57.046(a), Government Code, is amended
46	46	to read as follows:
47	47	(a) The executive director shall prepare examinations under
48	48	this subchapter that test an applicant's knowledge, skill, and
49	49	efficiency in interpreting under this subchapter. The same
50	50	examinations must be used for issuing a license that includes a
51	51	basic designation or master designation as described by Section
52	52	57.043(d).
53	53	SECTION 4. (a) Notwithstanding Section 57.043(e),
54	54	Government Code, as added by this Act, and not later than December
55	55	1, 2011, the executive director of the Texas Department of
56	56	Licensing and Regulation shall issue to a person who, on September
57	57	1, 2011, holds a court interpreter license issued under Section
58	58	57.043(a), Government Code, a new court interpreter license that
59	59	includes a master designation described by Section 57.043(d)(2),
60	60	Government Code, as added by this Act.
61	61	(b) Section 57.043(d), Government Code, as added by this
62	62	Act, applies only to a court interpreter license, other than a court
63	63	interpreter license issued under Subsection (a) of this section,
64	64	that is initially issued under Section 57.043(a), Government Code,
65	65	on or after September 1, 2011, and to the subsequent renewal of that
66	66	license.
67	67	(c) Section 57.002(b-1), Government Code, as added by this
68	68	Act, applies only to the appointment of a licensed court
69	69	interpreter on or after January 1, 2012. An appointment before that
70	70	date is governed by the law in effect on the date the appointment
71	71	was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that
72	72	purpose.
73	73	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
74	74	______________________________ ______________________________
75	75	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
76	76	I certify that H.B. No. 4445 was passed by the House on May
77	77	15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not
78	78	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
79	79	No. 4445 on May 29, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 0,
80	80	2 present, not voting; and that the House adopted S.C.R. No. 82
81	81	authorizing certain corrections in H.B. No. 4445 on June 1, 2009, by
82	82	the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.
83	83	______________________________
84	84	Chief Clerk of the House
85	85	I certify that H.B. No. 4445 was passed by the Senate, with
86	86	amendments, on May 25, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
87	87	0; and that the Senate adopted S.C.R. No. 82 authorizing certain
88	88	corrections in H.B. No. 4445 on June 1, 2009 by the following
89	89	vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
90	90	______________________________
91	91	Secretary of the Senate
92	92	APPROVED: __________________
93	93	Date
94	94	__________________
95	95	Governor