AB250,9,5
1440.032 (3) (f) Sign language interpreter—advanced deaf licenses. The
2department shall grant a sign language interpreter—advanced deaf license to an
3applicant who submits an application on a form provided by the department, pays
4the fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a), and satisfies all of the
5following:
AB250,9,86 1. The applicant holds at least an associate degree or satisfies an alternate
7pathway for education, as determined by the department after receiving advice from
8the committee.
AB250,9,129 2. The applicant holds a certified deaf interpreter certification issued by the
10Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., or its successor or an equivalent
11certification, as determined by the department after receiving advice from the
12committee.
AB250,16 13Section 16 . 440.032 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB250,9,1614 440.032 (4m) Scope of licenses. The department, after receiving advice from
15the committee, shall promulgate rules defining the scope of practice of each license
16granted under sub. (3), subject to the following:
AB250,9,2217 (a) Sign language interpreter—intermediate hearing. 1. Subject to subd. 2., a
18sign language interpreter—intermediate hearing licensee may not provide sign
19language interpretation services to clients in any medical setting, as determined by
20the department after receiving advice from the committee, unless he or she is team
21interpreting with a sign language interpreter—advanced hearing or sign language
22interpreter—advanced deaf licensee.
AB250,9,2523 2. A sign language interpreter—intermediate hearing licensee may not provide
24sign language interpretation services to a client in any legal or mental health setting,
25as determined by the department after receiving advice from the committee.
AB250,10,7
1(b) Interpretation in legal settings. No sign language interpreter—advanced
2hearing, sign language interpreter—intermediate deaf, or sign language
3interpreter—advanced deaf licensee may provide sign language interpretation
4services to a client in any legal setting, as determined by the department after
5receiving advice from the committee, unless he or she is also authorized, including
6under a provisional status, by the supreme court to act as a qualified interpreter in
7court proceedings under s. 885.38 (2).
AB250,10,118 (c) Interpretation in mental health settings. 1. No sign language
9interpreter—intermediate deaf licensee may provide sign language interpretation
10services to a client in any mental health setting, as determined by the department
11after receiving advice from the committee.
AB250,10,1812 2. Beginning on September 1, 2023, no sign language interpreter—advanced
13hearing or sign language interpreter—advanced deaf licensee may provide sign
14language interpretation services to a client in any mental health setting, as
15determined by the department after receiving advice from the committee, unless the
16licensee satisfies requirements established by the department by rule. The rules
17promulgated under this subdivision shall require a licensee to satisfy all of the
18following:
AB250,10,2019 a. Complete 40 hours of training on providing interpretation services to a client
20in mental health settings.
AB250,10,2321 b. Complete a 40-hour practicum under the supervision of a sign language
22interpreter approved by the department on providing sign language interpretation
23services to a client in mental health settings.
AB250,10,2424 c. Pass a written examination determined by the department.
AB250,11,2
1d. Be able to accurately interpret specialized vocabulary used in psychiatric
2settings.
AB250,11,43 e. Be aware of psychopathologies, including knowledge of the names of major
4mental illnesses.
AB250,11,55 f. Be aware of how cultural influences might impact treatment.
AB250,11,76 g. Be aware of the difference between interpreting and communication
7assistance.
AB250,11,98 h. Demonstrate familiarity with mental health assessment methods and the
9impact of interpretation during an assessment.
AB250,11,1010 i. Have exposure to mental health treatment approaches.
AB250,11,1311 j. Have exposure to issues involving developmental disability and the role
12culture and language have in providing services to a person with a developmental
13disability.
AB250,11,1514 k. Be able to identify care providers and identify mental health disciplines, and
15be familiar with milieus and settings.
AB250,11,1616 L. Be able to explain the role of an interpreter as a professional consultant.
AB250,11,1817 m. Understand professional boundaries and be able to explain confidentiality,
18privilege, abuse reporting requirements, and the duty to warn.
AB250,11,1919 n. Demonstrate cross-cultural competencies.
AB250,17 20Section 17 . 440.032 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB250,12,221 440.032 (5) License renewal. The renewal dates for licenses granted under
22sub. (3) (a) are specified in s. 440.08 (2) (a) 68c. Renewal applications shall be
23submitted to the department on a form provided by the department and shall include
24the renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a) and evidence
25satisfactory to the department that the person's certification or membership

1specified in sub. (3) that is required for the license has not been revoked or
2invalidated.
AB250,18 3Section 18 . 440.032 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB250,12,94 440.032 (5m) Identification cards. The department, after receiving advice
5from the committee, shall promulgate rules requiring all interpreters licensed under
6sub. (3) to have an identification card with them at all times while providing sign
7language interpretation services to clients for compensation. The department shall
8issue the identification card. The identification card issued to a licensee for purposes
9of this subsection shall satisfy all of the following conditions:
AB250,12,1010 (a) Include all of the following:
AB250,12,1111 1. The interpreter's full name.
AB250,12,1512 2. The interpreter's licensure category, whether sign language
13interpreter—intermediate hearing, sign language interpreter—advanced hearing,
14sign language interpreter—intermediate deaf, or sign language
15interpreter—advanced deaf.
AB250,12,1616 3. Any applicable licensure restriction.
AB250,12,1917 4. A statement whether the interpreter is authorized by the supreme court to
18act as a qualified interpreter in court proceedings under s. 885.38 (2) and whether
19that authorization is provisional.
AB250,12,2020 5. Any other information required by the department.
AB250,12,2321 (b) Be color-coded based on the interpreter's licensure category identified
22under par. (a) 2. An intermediate license shall be yellow. An advanced license shall
23be green.
AB250,19 24Section 19 . 440.032 (6) of the statutes is repealed.
AB250,20 25Section 20 . 440.032 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB250,13,4
1440.032 (6m) Sign language interpreters advisory committee. (a) The
2secretary shall appoint an advisory committee under s. 440.042 that shall be called
3the sign language interpreters advisory committee. The committee shall consist of
4the secretary or a designee and the following 8 members:
AB250,13,85 1. Five deaf or hard of hearing individuals who are or have been clients of a sign
6language interpreter, at least one of whom is a graduate of a residential school for
7the deaf or hard of hearing and at least one of whom is a graduate of a private or
8public school that is not a residential school for the deaf or hard of hearing.
AB250,13,109 2. Two interpreters licensed under this section, at least one of whom holds a
10renewable license under sub. (3) (c) to (f).
AB250,13,1311 3. One individual who is not deaf or hard of hearing and who has obtained, or
12represents an entity that has obtained, sign language interpreter services for the
13benefit of another who is deaf or hard of hearing.
AB250,13,1414 (b) The committee shall do all of the following:
AB250,13,1515 1. Advise the department on all of the following:
AB250,13,1616 a. Matters related to the department's enforcement of this section.
AB250,13,1717 b. Granting exemptions under sub. (2) (c).
AB250,13,1818 c. Licensure requirements under sub. (3).
AB250,13,1919 d. Promulgating the rules defining the scope of practice under sub. (4m).
AB250,13,2020 e. Promulgating the rules relating to identification cards under sub. (5m).
AB250,13,2121 f. Promulgating the rules governing professional conduct under sub. (7) (b).
AB250,13,2222 2. Consult with the department concerning investigations under sub. (8).
AB250,13,2423 (c) The committee shall submit to the secretary, upon request of the secretary
24not more often than annually, a report on the operation of the committee.
AB250,21 25Section 21 . 440.032 (7) (b) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB250,14,6
1440.032 (7) (b) The department, after receiving advice from the committee,
2shall promulgate rules governing the professional conduct of individuals licensed
3under sub. (3). The rules shall incorporate the rules of professional conduct adopted
4by the National Association of the Deaf, or its successor, and the Registry of
5Interpreters for the Deaf, or its successor, or a substantially equivalent organization,
6as determined by the department after receiving advice from the committee.
AB250,22 7Section 22 . Nonstatutory provisions.
AB250,14,138 (1) Contract relating to administration of examinations. No later than the
9first day of the 4th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection, the
10department of safety and professional services shall contract with the Board for
11Evaluation of Interpreters, or its successor, for the department's administration of
12the examinations of the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters in this state under s.
13440.032 (3) (b) 1. b.
AB250,14,1414 (2) Elimination of the sign language interpreter council.
AB250,14,1715 (a) Assets and liabilities. On the effective date of this paragraph, the assets and
16liabilities of the sign language interpreter council become the assets and liabilities
17of the department of safety and professional services.
AB250,14,2018 (b) Tangible personal property. On the effective date of this paragraph, all
19tangible personal property, including records, of the sign language interpreter
20council is transferred to the department of safety and professional services.
AB250,15,221 (c) Contracts. All contracts entered into by the sign language interpreter
22council in effect on the effective date of this paragraph remain in effect and are
23transferred to the department of safety and professional services. The department
24of safety and professional services shall carry out all obligations under such a

1contract unless modified or rescinded by the department to the extent allowed under
2the contract.
AB250,15,83 (d) Pending matters. Each matter pending with the sign language interpreter
4council on the effective date of this paragraph is transferred to the department of
5safety and professional services and all materials submitted to or actions taken by
6the sign language interpreter council with respect to the pending matter are
7considered as having been submitted to or taken by the department of safety and
8professional services.
AB250,15,159 (e) Rules and orders. All rules promulgated by the sign language interpreter
10council that are in effect on the effective date of this paragraph remain in effect until
11their specified expiration dates or until amended or repealed by the department of
12safety and professional services. All orders issued by the sign language interpreter
13council that are in effect on the effective date of this paragraph remain in effect until
14their specified expiration dates or until modified or rescinded by the department of
15safety and professional services.
AB250,15,2416 (3) Emergency rules. The department of safety and professional services may
17promulgate emergency rules under s. 227.24 necessary to implement this act.
18Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this
19subsection remain in effect until July 1, 2021, or the date on which permanent rules
20take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the
21department of safety and professional services is not required to provide evidence
22that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for
23the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to
24provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
AB250,23 25Section 23 . Initial applicability.
AB250,16,6
1(1) Restricted license renewals. The treatment of s. 440.032 (3) (b) 3. and (5)
2first applies retroactively to an individual holding a valid license under s. 440.032
3(3) (b) 1. or 2. on August 31, 2017, and the department of safety and professional
4services shall provide any such individual whose license expired under s. 440.032 (3)
5(b) 3., 2017 stats., on September 1, 2017, with a reasonable opportunity to renew that
6license.
AB250,16,77 (End)
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