RULE 14.200. REGISTRATION

(a) Registration. Court interpreters shall, prior to providing interpreter services, become registered with the Office of the State Courts Administrator.

(b) General Prerequisites. Unless otherwise provided, all applicants completing prerequisites for registration must:

(1) as an initial prerequisite, attend a two-day orientation program administered by the Office of the State Courts Administrator or board-approved training provider;

(2) pass a written examination approved by the board, which shall include an ethics component;

(3) submit an approved reporting form documenting completion of 20 hours of courtroom observation;

(4) take an oath to uphold the Code of Professional Conduct adopted in these rules;

(5) undergo and pass a background check according to standards prescribed by the board and published in board operating procedure;

(6) agree to obtain 16 credits of continuing education from a continuing education program approved by the board; and

(7) agree to diligently pursue designation as a certified, language skilled, or provisionally approved interpreter and, within the first year of any two- year registration or applicable renewal period, submit to: (i) at least 1 full oral performance examination approved by the board, or, in the event a full oral performance examination is unavailable, submit to a board-approved abbreviated oral examination and demonstrate functional speaking ability in English and a non-English language through oral proficiency interviews as a prerequisite to taking the abbreviated examination; (ii) at least 1 approved oral proficiency interview in English and a non-English language for which there is no state-certifying examination as an assessment of functional speaking ability; or (iii) at least 1 equivalent state-certifying examination in another state that is in accordance with board-approved requisites; and

(8) submit an application for registration and enclose an initial application fee in an amount set by the supreme court.

(c) Renewal and Maintenance of Registration. Registration under this rule shall be valid for a period of 2 years. Before any person’s registration may be renewed, he or she must:

(1) complete 16 credits of continuing education through a board- approved program and submit an application for continuing education credit on a reporting form furnished by the board;

(2) complete 20 law-related professional court interpreting assignments, or a lesser number of assignments totaling no fewer than 40 hours;

(3) pay any applicable renewal fee in an amount set by the supreme court; and

(4) if not officially designated as certified, language skilled, or provisionally approved, comply again with subdivisions (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(7) of this rule. Officially designated state-level court interpreters who are employed by the courts in court interpreting positions may, rather than reporting discrete law-related professional assignments, provide proof of court employment and an affidavit averring compliance with this requirement. Court interpreters unable to complete the required professional court interpreting assignments because of a limited need for interpreting services in their language or in other exceptional circumstances may be eligible, upon written request and board approval, for an extension of time or exemption. A language skilled or provisionally approved interpreter who is granted an extension must, in lieu of a biennial renewal fee and as a condition of maintaining registration and any official state-level designation, pay a fee in an amount proportionate to the time of extension.

(d) Letters Confirming Registration and Renewal. Letters confirming registration and renewal of registration shall be issued to persons satisfying requirements under this rule. Any official state-level designation held by the registered interpreter shall be noted in such letters.

(e) Approved Continuing Education. The board shall keep and maintain a list of approved continuing education programs. Approval of an educational program or activity not listed shall be at the board’s discretion and subject to approval on a case-by-case basis.

(f) Notification. The board shall notify all registered court interpreters in writing of the expiration of their registration and any corresponding official state- level designation at least 90 days before such date. Notice shall be given by regular United States mail or via e-mail, directed to the last postal or e-mail address on file with the board.

(g) Administrative Suspension. Registration and any corresponding official state-level designation shall be suspended automatically upon failure to comply with requirements under rule 14.200(c), but may be reinstated upon application to the board, accompanied by payment and made within 60 days of the date of suspension. Upon expiration of the 60-day grace period, registration and any official state-level designation shall be revoked and any request for reinstatement must be made in accordance with rule 14.450.

(h) Administrative Revocation. Registration shall be automatically revoked for any person who fails to submit to at least one of the foregoing examinations within the first year of any two-year registration period, except for registrants who have previously achieved the designation of certified, language skilled, or provisionally approved court interpreter. A court interpreter whose registration is revoked under this subdivision shall not be eligible for registration for a period of 1 year following revocation and must thereafter comply with all requirements of subdivision (b) of this rule.

(i) Threshold Performance. Registration may be revoked at the discretion of the board for any person who fails to attain minimum scores, in accordance with standards prescribed by the board and published in board operating procedures, on the sight translation, simultaneous interpretation, and consecutive interpretation components during a single test administration as specified under subdivision (b)(7)(i) or (b)(7)(iii), or who fails to demonstrate satisfactory functional speaking ability as prescribed by the board during an oral proficiency interview under subdivision (b)(7)(ii).

(j) Persons Holding Valid Designation Before October 1, 2015. A person holding the designation of certified, language skilled, or provisionally approved interpreter before October 1, 2015, is deemed to be registered for the remainder of the two-year compliance period then applicable to such person. Such person’s registration shall expire on the date which is two years following official designation or the last renewal of such designation. Such person must thereafter renew registration under subdivision (c) of this rule.