OLYMPIA – Court proceedings can be confusing for everyone but can be even more onerous for Washington residents who have limited fluency in English. Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, is working to help courts more readily supply interpreters.
House Bill 1174 strengthens court interpreter credentialing, clarifies the process for obtaining an interpreter, and limits when a person with limited English proficiency is responsible for paying the interpreter. Instead, this legislation requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to cover the cost in such cases.
“The legal system isn’t just if some of the people interacting with it can’t understand what is happening,” said Peterson. “This is a small step that will help us provide more equitable access to the legal system.”
House Bill 1174 passed off the floor with a vote of 66-31 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to end on April 27.