Bill > SB5025

This bill amends existing law to establish a comprehensive framework for educational interpreters who provide sign language interpretation and transliteration for deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing students. The bill requires the Professional Educator Standards Board to adopt standards for educational interpreters, including separate standards for deaf and deaf-blind interpreters, and to establish performance standards for interpreter assessments. The legislation introduces a certificate system with two tiers: a limited certificate (valid for up to five years) for interpreters who meet a basic performance standard, and a full certificate for those meeting a higher performance standard. By the 2027-28 school year, all educational interpreters must obtain a certificate, with provisions allowing a transition period for existing interpreters to meet the new requirements. The bill also mandates that the Professional Educator Standards Board publicly report data on interpreter certifications annually, starting in December 2026, and requires consultation with accredited interpreter training programs when developing standards. Importantly, the law provides some flexibility for interpreters working with specialized sign systems or languages where standardized assessments may not exist.