HB 6932, An Act Concerning The Establishment Of A State Interpreting Standards Board

TESTIMONY OF THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SUBMITTED TO THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Thursday, February 20, 2025

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony concerning HB 6932, An Act Concerning The Establishment Of A State Interpreting Standards Board. CHA supports the concepts in this bill but has concerns about the potential to exacerbate the shortage of interpreters.

Connecticut hospitals and health systems care for patients, strengthen the state’s economy, and support vulnerable communities across the state. Every day, they work to improve healthcare access, affordability, and health equity. Even as they face ongoing challenges, hospitals provide world-class care to everyone who walks through their doors, regardless of their ability to pay. Hospitals also support an exemplary workforce as the largest collective employer in the state, contribute significantly to the state’s economy, and invest in their communities addressing social drivers of health.

This bill establishes a state board, under the Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS) with administrative support from its newly launched Bureau of Services for Persons Who are Deaf, Deafblind, or Hard of Hearing, which will create and oversee standards for interpreters and interpreting agencies across the state. It will also make recommendations to the commissioner of ADS on regulations and legislation concerning the qualifications of interpreters.

This proposal is grounded in the principle that consistent, high-quality interpreting services are essential to ensure equitable access to communication for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals and aims to account for the dynamic nature of the interpreting profession and provide the flexibility to:

  • Adapt to changes in national and state certification standards, e.g., the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
  • Support professional growth through education and mentorship
  • Address credential gaps by creating interim or provisional pathways for interpreters
  • Ensure that the state’s interpreting workforce remains competent and well-equipped to serve diverse communication needs across critical settings
  • Protect consumers by holding interpreters and interpreting agencies accountable to clear, enforceable standards

CHA and its member hospitals equally value access to qualified and reliable interpreters and interpreting services in our state. However, the fact remains that we continue to experience a shortage of interpreting services due to a limited interpreter pool in Connecticut. This shortage of available essential resources is not just unique to the state of Connecticut, as there remains a national shortage of available in-person interpreters as well, with no indication of an upturn any time soon. Furthermore, to the detriment of all deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals, an even smaller portion of that limited pool of interpreters, both locally and nationally, are willing to serve healthcare organizations due to the unpredictable hours and demands that come with serving in these types of settings. Many in healthcare, including hospitals, must supplement this limited pool with interpreters who can service Connecticut remotely.

We are concerned that this legislation and proposed standards board could yield an immediate and significant decrease to an already limited interpreter pool and exacerbate the already tenuous set of circumstances under which we currently operate. It is crucial not to give the limited qualified interpreters who are currently providing services here a reason to seek work elsewhere, in places where requirements are less burdensome.

To guard against the unintended consequence of exacerbating the interpreter shortage, we ask that the following addition be made to the bill. In line 95, at subsection (j), insert the underlined sentence as follows:

(j) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall adopt
regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to
implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include
measures to ensure there are no decreases in the pool of available,
qualified interpreters.

Thank you for your consideration of our position. For additional information, contact CHA Government Relations at (203) 294-7301.