HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3066        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3592

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Judith A. Garcia

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the availability of court interpreters.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Judith A. Garcia

11th Suffolk

1/20/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

3/17/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

3/21/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3066        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3592

By Representative Garcia of Chelsea, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3592) of Judith A. Garcia, James C. Arena-DeRosa and Samantha Montaño relative to the availability of court interpreters.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the availability of court interpreters.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 2 of chapter 221C, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

If a qualified interpreter or a certified interpreter is not reasonably available leading to a delay in a legal proceeding, a non-English speaker may provide to the court an interpreter to assist them throughout the legal proceeding. An interpreter who is provided by the non-English speaker pursuant to this paragraph shall be approved by the judge and shall be subject to the provisions of sections 4 and 5.