House Bill 959

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF INTERPRETERS IN ALL COURTS OF THE STATE; TO AMEND SECTION 99-17-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Director of the Administrative Office of Courts shall establish a program to facilitate the use of interpreters in all courts of the State of Mississippi.

(2) (a) The Department of Education shall prescribe the qualifications of and certify persons who may serve as certified interpreters in all courts of the State of Mississippi in bilingual proceedings.

(b) The director shall maintain a current master list of all interpreters certified by the Department of Education and shall report annually to the Supreme Court on the frequency of requests for and the use and effectiveness of the interpreters.

(3) In all state court bilingual proceedings, the presiding judicial officer, with the assistance of the director, shall utilize the services of a certified interpreter to communicate verbatim all spoken or written words.

(4) All state courts shall maintain on file in the office of the clerk of the court a list of all persons who have been certified as interpreters by the Department of Education in accordance with the certification program established pursuant to this section.

(5) Interpreters shall be paid a reasonable compensation, as set by the court, payable out of the county treasury.

SECTION 2. Section 99-17-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

99-17-7. In criminal cases, the court may appoint an interpreter who is certified as provided in Section 1 of this act when necessary, sworn truly to interpret, and allow him a reasonable compensation, as set by the court, payable out of the county treasury.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.