California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.

Existing law generally requires a person who interprets in a court proceeding to be a certified court interpreter, except as specified. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to designate languages requiring certification programs and requires the Judicial Council to adopt and publish guidelines, standards, and procedures to determine which certification entities will be approved to test and certify interpreters. This bill would create, until January 1, 2030, the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program to be administered by the Judicial Council to develop training and increase the number of eligible applicants for employment as court interpreters. The bill would require the Judicial Council, on or before September 1, 2024, to select a minimum of 4 counties, including the County of Los Angeles, to participate in the pilot program, and would require the Judicial Council to select up to 10 applicants per superior court in the program. The bill would require the Judicial Council, on or before July 1, 2025, to establish an application form and procedure for participation in the pilot program and would require the Judicial Council to begin accepting applications to the program beginning December 1, 2025. The bill would require the Judicial Council, on or before July 1, 2025, in collaboration with participating courts and designated labor organizations representing court interpreters in a county, to develop a court interpreter training program. The bill would require the training program to include, among other things, options for appropriate training to prepare for the applicable interpreter exam authorized by the Judicial Council. The bill would require participants to agree to work for the courts for at least 3 years after successfully passing all required examinations and enrollment with the Judicial Council as a court interpreter. The bill would authorize courts to require participants to pay back the costs of training, coursework, and exam fees on a prorated basis based on the length of employment if under 3 years, except as specified. The bill would also create the California Interpreter Workforce Development Plan fund to, upon appropriation, be used by the Judicial Council for the purpose of the pilot program, including paying for the costs of training, coursework, and up to 3 interpreter exam fees for applicants.