| 1 | 1 | | 83R29287 RWG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Paxton S.B. No. 1620 |
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| 3 | 3 | | (Lewis) |
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| 4 | 4 | | Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1620: No. |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to certified communication access realtime translation |
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| 10 | 10 | | providers. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 57.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subdivisions (8) and (9) to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (8) "Communication access realtime translation" or |
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| 15 | 15 | | "CART" means the immediate verbatim translation of the spoken word |
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| 16 | 16 | | into English text by a certified CART provider. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (9) "Certified CART provider" means an individual who |
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| 18 | 18 | | holds a certification to provide communication access realtime |
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| 19 | 19 | | translation services at an advanced or master level issued by the |
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| 20 | 20 | | Texas Court Reporters Association or another certification |
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| 21 | 21 | | association selected by the department. |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 2. The heading to Section 57.002, Government Code, |
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| 23 | 23 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 57.002. APPOINTMENT OF INTERPRETER OR CART PROVIDER; |
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| 25 | 25 | | CART PROVIDER LIST. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 3. Section 57.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 27 | 27 | | amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read |
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| 28 | 28 | | as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (a) A court shall appoint a certified court interpreter or a |
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| 30 | 30 | | certified CART provider for an individual who has a hearing |
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| 31 | 31 | | impairment or a licensed court interpreter for an individual who |
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| 32 | 32 | | can hear but does not comprehend or communicate in English if a |
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| 33 | 33 | | motion for the appointment of an interpreter or provider is filed by |
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| 34 | 34 | | a party or requested by a witness in a civil or criminal proceeding |
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| 35 | 35 | | in the court. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (b) A court may, on its own motion, appoint a certified |
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| 37 | 37 | | court interpreter or a certified CART provider for an individual |
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| 38 | 38 | | who has a hearing impairment or a licensed court interpreter for an |
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| 39 | 39 | | individual who can hear but does not comprehend or communicate in |
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| 40 | 40 | | English. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (f) The department shall maintain a list of certified CART |
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| 42 | 42 | | providers and, on request, may send the list to a person or court. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 4. Sections 57.001(6) and 57.021(d), Government |
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| 44 | 44 | | Code, are repealed. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 46 | 46 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 47 | 47 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 49 | 49 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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