Bill > A1957

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS) to develop or identify training course materials and an online tutorial regarding appropriate recognition and response techniques concerning the interaction of law enforcement officers with the hearing impaired. The training is required to include information regarding when a hearing impaired person has the right to request the assistance of a qualified interpreter. Under the bill, the DLPS is required to make the training materials and online tutorial available to every State, county, and municipal law enforcement department and at every institution of higher education in the State that appoints police officers. This bill also requires every State, county, and municipal law enforcement department and every institution of higher education in the State that appoints police officers to provide annual in-service training according to the training protocols established by the DLPS and to contract with an agency that is capable of providing a qualified interpreter within two hours of a request. The bill defines a "hearing impaired person" as a person whose hearing is impaired so as to prohibit the person from understanding oral communication and further includes a person who, because of loss of hearing, cannot communicate spoken language. In addition, the bill defines a "qualified interpreter" as an interpreter certified by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. and listed by the State Division of the Deaf in the Department of Labor or the New Jersey Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Annette Quijano (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document