| (a) An applicant who is hearing must meet the following
qualifications to become a Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI)-certified
court interpreter:
(1) hold at least one BEI certificate at Level III,
IV, V, IIIi, IVi, Vi, Advanced, Master, or Oral: Comprehensive; or
hold certification from Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
with a Comprehensive Skills Certificate, Certificate of Interpretation/Certificate
of Transliteration, Reverse Skills Certificate, Certified Deaf Interpreter,
or Master Comprehensive Skills Certificate, or National Interpreter
Certification Advanced or National Interpreter Certification Master;
(2) pass the DARS DHHS-approved court interpreter written
test, which may only be taken by applicants who hold one of the certificates
listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(3) pass the court performance test, which may only
be taken by applicants who have passed the court interpreter written
test.
(b) An applicant who is deaf or hard of hearing, and
cannot hear sufficiently to take the performance test, must meet the
following qualifications to become a BEI-certified court interpreter:
(1) hold at least one BEI certificate at Level III,
IV, V, IIIi, IVi, Vi, Advanced, Master, or Oral: Comprehensive; or
hold certification from Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
with a Comprehensive Skills Certificate, Certificate of Interpretation/Certificate
of Transliteration, Reverse Skills Certificate, Certified Deaf Interpreter,
or Master Comprehensive Skills Certificate, or National Interpreter
Certification Advanced or National Interpreter Certification Master;
(2) have completed the following hours of training
and/or mentoring:
(A) a minimum of 12 Continuing Education Units (CEUs),
which is the equivalent of 120 clock hours, of DARS-DHHS approved
courses of instruction in courtroom interpretation knowledge and skills;
(B) a minimum of 120 hours of actual practice provided
by a certified court interpreter who has been approved by DARS DHHS
to act as a mentor; or
(C) a combined minimum of 120 hours of instruction
and mentoring; and
(3) have passed the court interpreter written test,
which may only be taken upon completion and approval by DARS DHHS
that the applicant has completed the required training and/or mentoring,
as set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(c) An applicant must provide DARS DHHS with documentary
proof that the applicant meets the requirements for testing and for
certification.
(d) Applicants who formerly held BEI court certification,
but who are ineligible to renew their BEI court certification, must
meet all applicable qualifications and requirements of this section.
(e) A military service member or military veteran applicant
who is deaf or hard of hearing may satisfy the training requirements
in subsection (b)(2) of this section with verified military service,
training, or education. This subsection does not apply to a military
service member or military veteran applicant who is deaf or hard of
hearing and who holds a restricted license issued by another jurisdiction
or has an unacceptable criminal history according to the laws applicable
to DARS.
(f) A military service member, military veteran, or
military spouse applicant will be issued an expedited BEI court interpreter
certificate if the applicant holds a current license issued by another
jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are substantially
equivalent to the requirements in subsections (a) or (b) of this section.
(g) A person with an expired certification must not
perform work for which a certification is required under Government
Code, Chapter 57.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §360.315 adopted to be effective April 24, 2013, 38 TexReg 2513; amended to be effective May 1, 2014, 39 TexReg 3452; amended to be effective August 2, 2015, 40 TexReg 4823; amended to be effective April 6, 2016, 41 TexReg 2503; transferred effective March 1, 2021, as published in the Texas Register February 5, 2021, 46 TexReg 946 |
