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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing language interpreter services to certain |
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health care providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 12.0151 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.0151. INTERPRETER SERVICES. (a) In this section |
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"health care interpreter" means a person who is trained to orally |
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communicate with a person whose primary language is Spanish by |
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accurately conveying the meaning of oral health care related |
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statements in English and Spanish. |
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(b) The Department of State Health Services shall establish |
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a toll-free telephone number that is answered by a health care |
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interpreter 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The health care |
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interpreter shall provide oral language interpreter services to |
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physicians, hospital employees, and other health care providers to |
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assist those individuals in communicating with patients whose |
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primary language is Spanish. |
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(c) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement this section, |
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including rules establishing the qualifications required for |
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health care interpreters who answer the toll-free telephone number |
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established under this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2008. |