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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Rodriquez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/24/07

2/6/07 HB

SHORT TITLE

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreters

SB 283/aSPAC

ANALYST C.Sanchez

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

NFI

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD)

Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

SUMMARY

Synopsis of SPAC Amendment

On page 4, line 2, after “commission" the amendment adds “and the administrative office of the

courts".

Synopsis of Original Bill

Senate Bill 283 amends 38-9-1 NMSA 1978 to remove responsibility for maintaining a list of

interpreters and appointing an interpreter when required from the commission for deaf and hard

of hearing persons.

Section 1 of the bill changes “This act" to a technical reference “Chapter 38. Article 9 NMSA

1978.

Section 2 of the bill changes gender reference to a generic “the person" and replaces vocational

rehabilitation division with commission for deaf and hard of hearing persons. Section 2 (A)

places authority to qualify interpreters with the commission for deaf and hard of hearing persons,

Senate Bill 283/aSPAC – Page

2

which removes authority from vocational rehabilitation, the New Mexico registry of interpreters,

the New Mexico association of the deaf and nomination of a person by a deaf person or their

appointing authority.

Section 3 referring to proof of disability does not remove vocational rehabilitation division’s

authority to provide a statement that the deaf or head of hearing person requires an interpreter,

but it adds the public education department and the commission for the deaf and hard of hearing

persons.

Section 4 again removes the vocational rehabilitation division’s responsibility and replaces with

the commission for deaf and hard of hearing persons.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

NFI

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

Boards and commission staff would contact the Commission for deaf and hard of hearing

persons rather than the vocational rehabilitation division.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Updating contact information to ensure staff and licensees have access to interpreting services

when necessary.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Vocational Rehabilitation Division would remain responsible for maintaining a list and

qualifying interpreters.

CS/nt