HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 844, 1546 PRINTER'S NO. 2216
No. 796 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY ZEMPRELLI, SCANLON AND ROSS, MAY 11, 1981
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 16, 1982
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 2 (Administrative Law and Procedure) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing interpreters
3 for deaf persons in administrative proceedings.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Chapter 5 of Title 2, act of November 25, 1970 <--
7 (P.L.707, No.230), known as the Pennsylvania Consolidated
8 Statutes, is amended by adding a subchapter SECTION to read: <--
9 CHAPTER 5 <--
10 PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
11 * * *
12 SUBCHAPTER C
13 INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF
14 Sec.
15 561. Interpreters for the deaf.
16 § 561 505.1. Interpreters for the deaf. <--
17 (a) Proceedings before certain agencies APPOINTMENT.--In any <--
1 proceeding before a Commonwealth agency, an executive agency or <--
2 an independent agency in which a party is deaf the agency shall
3 appoint an interpreter to assist said THE party throughout the <--
4 proceeding.
5 (b) Oath.--The interpreter shall swear or affirm that he
6 will make a true interpretation to the deaf person and that he
7 will repeat the statements of the deaf person to the best of his
8 ability.
9 (c) Definitions.--As used in this section the following
10 words AND PHRASES shall have the meanings given to them in this <--
11 subsection:
12 "Deaf." Persons who are deaf or whose hearing is so impaired
13 that they are unable to understand or communicate the spoken
14 English language.
15 "Interpreter." A person qualified and trained to translate
16 for or communicate with deaf persons. Any person certified by
17 the National or Local Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or
18 similar registry shall be considered qualified for the purposes
19 of this section.
20 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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