20-150 Legislative findings; licensed interpreters; qualified educational interpreters; legislative intent. - Nebraska Statutes

20-150. Legislative findings; licensed interpreters; qualified educational interpreters; legislative intent.(1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is the policy of the State of Nebraska to secure the rights of deaf and hard of hearing persons who cannot readily understand or communicate in spoken language and who consequently cannot equally participate in or benefit from proceedings, programs, and activities of state agencies and law enforcement personnel unless interpreters are available to assist them. State agencies and law enforcement personnel shall appoint licensed interpreters as provided in sections 20-150 to 20-159, except that courts and probation officials shall appoint interpreters as provided in sections 20-150 to 20-159 and 25-2401 to 25-2407 and public school districts and educational units shall appoint qualified educational interpreters.(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that by June 30, 2007, the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing shall license and evaluate licensed interpreters. Prior to June 30, 2007, the commission shall (a) develop licensed interpreter guidelines for distribution, (b) develop training to implement the guidelines, (c) adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the guidelines and requirements for licensed interpreters, and (d) develop a roster of interpreters as required in section 71-4728.(3) It is the intent of the Legislature to assure that qualified educational interpreters are provided to deaf and hard of hearing children in kindergarten-through-grade-twelve public school districts and educational service units. Prior to September 1, 1998, the State Department of Education, in cooperation with the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, shall develop qualified educational interpreter guidelines for distribution as well as a training program to implement the guidelines. By September 1, 2000, the State Department of Education shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the guidelines and requirements for qualified educational interpreters, and such rules and regulations shall apply to all qualified educational interpreters employed for the 2001-02 school year and all school years thereafter. SourceLaws 1987, LB 376, § 1; Laws 1997, LB 851, § 1; Laws 2002, LB 22, § 1; Laws 2006, LB 87, § 1. Cross ReferencesLegal proceedings, use of interpreters, see section 25-2401 et seq.