Section 326-I:7 Licensure Required; Exemptions.
I. No person shall receive remuneration as an interpreter for the deaf or hard of hearing or represent oneself as an interpreter for the deaf or hard of hearing in this state after January 1, 2003, unless such person is licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
II. The board shall license each applicant who satisfies the requirements of the board at either a national level license or a state level license. Upon payment of a license fee for each license level, the board shall issue to such person a certificate of licensure which shall be evidence of the right to practice at the appropriate level as an interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing.
III. An interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the National Association of the Deaf, or the New Hampshire Interpreter classification process prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be accepted for licensure by the board, at the appropriate license level, without examination, provided that all such certified persons comply with all other requirements of the board under this chapter.
IV. The following persons shall be exempt from the license requirements of this chapter:
(a) Nonresident interpreters certified by the National Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf (RID) or the American Consortium of Certified Interpreters (ACCI), levels IV and V, who have completed RID-approved legal training or who hold a legal specialty certificate (RID SC:L) when working in court settings, provided that such interpreter shall be subject to disciplinary proceedings of the board.
(b) Interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing working in religious settings.
(c) Interpreters working in emergency situations where the parties determine that the delay to obtain a licensed interpreter is likely to cause injury or loss.
(d) Students exempted under RSA 326-I:8.
(e) Interpreters employed by a school district for a K-12 program.
(f) Court reporters licensed under RSA 310-A:161--RSA 310-A:181 while employed as court reporters as defined in RSA 310-A:162, II.
V. The recipient of services shall have the right to apply to the department of education for, and to receive, a waiver in writing from using a licensed interpreter and shall accept all responsibility for such action.
Source. 2001, 232:1, eff. July 1, 2001. 2006, 31:3, eff. July 1, 2006; 76:21, eff. July 1, 2006. 2007, 300:2, eff. July 1, 2007.