79R7211 RMB-D

By:  Hartnett                                                     H.B. No. 1642



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the appointment of interpreters for judicial 
proceedings.       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 57.002(c), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(c)  If there is no licensed court interpreter available in 
the county who can interpret in a language necessary in a 
proceeding [In a county with a population of less than 50,000], a 
court may appoint a spoken language interpreter who is not a 
certified or licensed court interpreter and who:
		(1)  is qualified by the court as an expert under the 
Texas Rules of Evidence;
		(2)  is at least 18 years of age; and                                         
		(3)  is not a party to the proceeding.                                        
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to the appointment of a court interpreter under Chapter 57, 
Government Code, as amended by this Act, on or after the effective 
date of this Act. The appointment of a court interpreter before the 
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the 
interpreter was appointed, and the former law is continued in 
effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.