20-156.

Commission; interpreters; video remote interpreting providers; licensure; requirements; fees; roster; disciplinary actions; review; injunctions authorized.

(1) The Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing shall license and evaluate licensed interpreters. The commission shall create the Interpreter Review Board pursuant to section 71-4728.05 to set policies, standards, and procedures for evaluation and licensing of interpreters. The commission may recognize evaluation and certification programs as a means to carry out the duty of evaluating interpreters' skills. The commission may define and establish different levels or types of licensure to reflect different levels of proficiency and different specialty areas.

(2) The commission shall establish and charge reasonable fees for licensure of interpreters and video remote interpreting providers, including applications, initial competency assessments, renewals, modifications, record keeping, approval, conduct, and sponsorship of continuing education, and assessment of continuing competency pursuant to sections 20-150 to 20-159. All fees collected pursuant to this section by the commission shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Fund. Such fees shall be disbursed for payment of expenses related to this section.

(3) The commission shall prepare and maintain a roster of licensed interpreters as provided by section 71-4728. Nothing in sections 20-150 to 20-159 shall be construed to prevent any appointing authority from contracting with a licensed interpreter on a full-time employment basis.

(4) The commission may deny, refuse to renew, limit, revoke, suspend, or take other disciplinary actions against a license when the applicant or licensee is found to have violated any provision of sections 20-150 to 20-159 or 71-4728 to 71-4732, or any rule or regulation of the commission adopted and promulgated pursuant to such sections, including rules and regulations governing unprofessional conduct. The Interpreter Review Board shall investigate complaints regarding the use of interpreters by any appointing authority, or the providing of interpreting services by any interpreter, alleged to be in violation of sections 20-150 to 20-159 or rules and regulations of the commission. The commission shall notify in writing an appointing authority determined to be employing interpreters in violation of sections 20-150 to 20-159 or rules and regulations of the commission and shall monitor such appointing authority to prevent future violations.

(5) Any decision of the commission pursuant to this section shall be subject to review according to the Administrative Procedure Act.

(6) Any person or entity providing interpreting services pursuant to sections 20-150 to 20-159 without a license issued pursuant to this section may be restrained by temporary and permanent injunctions and on and after January 1, 2016, shall be subject to a civil penalty as provided in section 20-156.01.