(a) The Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf shall:

(1) Recommend rules for the operation of the Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf to the State Board of Health; and

(2)

(A) Hold meetings at the offices of the Department of Health in Little Rock or at other places as the Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf may determine.

(B) The Department of Health shall provide meeting facilities and staff for meetings of the Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf.

(b) The Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf shall review and recommend to the Director of the Department of Health:

(1) Acceptance or rejection of applications for licensure and renewal of licenses for interpreters for the deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, and oral deaf;

(2) Criteria for issuance and renewal of licenses for licensed qualified interpreters;

(3) Criteria for issuance and continuance of provisional licenses;

(4) Fees for licensure and licensure renewal under this subchapter;

(5) Suspension or revocation of licenses under this subchapter;

(6) Procedures for receiving and investigating complaints under the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, § 25-15-201 et seq.;

(7) Rules to ensure that an interpreting agency provides only licensed qualified interpreters for services under this subchapter;

(8) Rules regarding conflicts of interest regarding members of the Advisory Board for Interpreters between Hearing Individuals and Individuals Who are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, or Oral Deaf;

(9)

(A) A code of professional conduct.

(B) The code of professional conduct shall provide, at a minimum, that:

(i) A licensed qualified interpreter shall make a true interpretation in an understandable manner to an individual who is deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or oral deaf for whom the licensed qualified interpreter is appointed and that the licensed qualified interpreter will interpret accurately the statements of the individual who is deaf or hard of hearing who desires that his or her statements be made in English to the best of the licensed qualified interpreter's skill and judgment; and

(ii) All information that a licensed qualified interpreter gathers, learns from, or relays to an individual who is deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or oral deaf during an administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding shall remain confidential and privileged unless the individual who is deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or oral deaf desires that the information be communicated to other persons; and

(10) A continuing education program for licensed qualified interpreters.