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 service units shall appoint qualified educational interpreters.

(2) The Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing shall license and evaluate interpreters and video remote interpreting providers pursuant to section 20-156. 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. 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.

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