OLYMPIA – Senate Bill 5142, signed into law Monday by Gov. Jay Inslee, will allow educational interpreters more time to complete certification exams while continuing to provide sign language interpreting services to children in schools.
“Today’s bill signing is a win for our students and a win for their interpreters,” said the bill’s prime sponsor Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue. “We need to make sure that all students who need a sign language interpreter are not left behind or left alone in the classroom. Today’s bill signing will allow our educational interpreters more time to pass their board certifications and continue to serve students.”
Washington recently enacted standards for certifying sign language interpreters but because pass rates on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment are below 50 percent, many families of deaf and hard of hearing students, and interpreters voiced concern that more time was needed to fully prepare. This legislation provides a one-time extension to give interpreters additional time to study and pass the test. All interpreters, whether they sign in American Sign Language or use a signing system such as Signing Exact English, will be eligible for the one time extension.
“Over the interim, I worked with educational interpreters and parents in my district,” said Kuderer. “This bill is the result of months of work and reflects the compromise that benefits students and interpreters.”
The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
