April 27, 2006

CFI is sponsoring legislation authored by Assemblymember Judy Chu to give members of the profession a greater voice and input on court interpreting issues regulated by the Judicial Council. The Assembly Judiciary Committee passed the measure on April 25, 2006. This is the first step in the legislative process.

This bill is a response to inadequate opportunities for input by professional court interpreters and their representatives on matters that affect our profession. Our membership has long been concerned that as our profession develops, decisions and changes are being made without sufficient involvement and inclusion of experts in the field of legal interpreting. The specific issues that led CFI to make this proposal include:

• recent changes lowering the rating standards on the oral exams
• complaints about lack of transparency and fairness in the new certification process
• lack of information available to the public and to the interpreter community regarding the exams
• insufficient training and recruitment programs
• the shrinking pool of interpreters and inadequate measures to attract and retain the existing pool
• lack of effective representation for the profession on the existing Court Interpreter Advisory
  

Panel due to the appointment process and undue influence by non-interpreters in the activities of the panel. In addition, CFI recently learned that the Judicial Council plans to conduct a top to bottom review of the Court Interpreters Program (CIP). This will include bringing in an outside consultant without input from the profession and looking at Kaiser and technology solutions (phone interpreting for example) as models for solving the shortage.

AB2227 would establish a nine-member commission to advise both the Judicial Council and the Legislature on matters related to court interpreter testing, certification, recruitment and training. To avoid duplication and increase efficiency, the commission would replace the Judicial Council’s existing Court Interpreter Advisory Panel (CIAP).

The new commission will provide a better forum for interpreters to play a meaningful role in the development of our profession. The following features will make it more effective than the existing panel:

• Composed in its majority of certified interpreters and experts in training and education of legal interpreters, the new commission will be better equipped to advise the JC, which retains decision-making authority. Experts in the field understand the skills and knowledge necessary to do this work and can best solve the existing problems and guide this developing profession.
• The new commission will provide some measure of independence in making recommendations and advising the Council, as appointments will be made by the Legislature and the Judicial Council, and the commission will report to both.

As the profession of court interpreting becomes increasingly important in California, it is clear that the current court interpreter program needs to be improved in order to effectively eliminate barriers to justice. CFI is concerned that competent candidates be able to enter the profession. Equally important is the need to maintain high standards of ethics, accuracy and competence.

Along with legislation proposed to provide interpreters in civil proceedings, AB 2227 provides a unique opportunity for interpreters, the Judicial Council and the Legislature to come together and overcome obstacles to providing the highest quality interpreting services for all California residents. We will be seeking the support of interpreters across the state to make this bill become law.