Interpreter registry

Health care services interpreters could voluntarily join a state roster, under a bill approved March 19 by the House Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division.

HF3592, sponsored by Rep. Cy Thao (DFL-St. Paul), would appropriate $25,000 to the health commissioner to establish the roster and develop a registry. Interpreters could be charged $50 to be included on the roster.

Thao said the state currently doesn’t know how many interpreters are working in hospitals, but spends $15 million annually to help patients communicate with their doctors. Having hard numbers could help in determining the need and establish guidelines, he said.

By Jan. 1, 2009, the commissioner would need to do the following:

• establish a roster of all available interpreters to address access concerns, particularly in rural areas;

• develop a plan for a registry of spoken language health care interpreters; and

• develop standards for registration with education and training requirements, demonstration of language proficiency and interpreting skills, agreement to abide by a code of ethics and a criminal background check.

The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee. A companion bill, SF3423, sponsored by Sen. Mee Moua (DFL-St. Paul), awaits action in the Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee.