GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 854

Short Title:      Require Licensure of Educational Interpreters.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Blackwell, Wheatley, Paré, and Schietzelt (Primary Sponsors). For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to:	Education - K-12, if favorable, Regulatory Reform, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

April 10, 2025

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT To remove the exemption for educational interpreters or transliterators from the licensure requirements of the North carolina interpreter and transliterator licensure act.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 90D‑3 reads as rewritten:

"§ 90D‑3.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Chapter:

…

(3)        Educational interpreter or transliterator. – A person who provides accessible communication, using the most understandable language model, to individuals in prekindergarten through grade 12 or in any institution of higher education.

…

(9)        Transliterator. – A person who practices the art of transliterating as defined in this section. The term includes an educational interpreter or transliterator as defined in subdivision (3) of this section."

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 90D‑4(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b)      The provisions of this Chapter do not apply to:

…

(5) Educational interpreters or transliterators.

…."

SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑110.2 reads as rewritten:

"§ 115C‑110.2.  Interpreters/transliterators.

Each interpreter or transliterator employed by a local educational agency to provide services to hearing‑impaired students must annually complete 15 hours of job‑related training that has been approved by the local educational agency. Continuing education hours required for license renewal under Chapter 90D of the General Statutes may be applied toward the 15 hours of job‑related training, to the extent those hours are relevant to the interpreter's or transliterator's job‑based duties and approved by the local educational agency."

SECTION 1.(d)  The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2026.