Bill Text: NH HB488 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled

New Hampshire House Bill 488 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Requiring interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing at the state house campus.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-16 - Signed by Governor Sununu 05/15/2019; Chapter 31; Eff: 07/14/2019 [HB488 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB488-Enrolled.html

HB 488-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

2019 SESSION

19-0509

01/05

HOUSE BILL 488-FN

AN ACT requiring interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing at the state house campus.

SPONSORS: Rep. Porter, Hills. 1; Rep. Conley, Straf. 13

COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration

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ANALYSIS

This bill declares that interpreters shall be provided to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing if such person wishes to consult with their senator or representative on the state house campus.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0509

01/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT requiring interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing at the state house campus.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Required. Amend RSA 14 by inserting after section 12 the following new section:

14:12-a Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Required. Interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing, licensed under RSA 326-I, shall be provided to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing if such person wishes to meet with his or her senator or representative on the state house campus. Persons who would like an interpreter pursuant to this section shall provide sufficient notice to the speaker of the house of representatives or the president of the senate, as appropriate.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

19-0509

1/3/19

HB 488-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT requiring interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing at the state house campus.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None


	Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE:	FY 2020	FY 2021	FY 2022	FY 2023
Appropriation	$0	$0	$0	$0
Revenue	$0	$0	$0	$0
Expenditures	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase
Funding Source:	[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill would require the provision of licensed interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing if such person wishes to meet with his or her senator or representative on the state house campus. The Legislative Branch states that contracting for deaf and hard of hearing interpreters is typically done through a referral service which charges a referral fee. Referral fees vary, depending on timeliness of the request and number of interpreters needed. Interpreters bill directly for their services, based on individual hourly rates, and include travel time and milage incurred. In FY 2018, referral fees charged ranged between $30-$55 per assignment. The average hourly rate for an interpreter was $45 and mileage is based upon the federal mileage rate as set annually by the IRS. The number of times interpreters may be requested, the number of such interpreters required, the duration of each service, amount of travel time and number of miles traveled are all unknown and thus the fiscal impact is indeterminable.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Legislative Branch