Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
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http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/ar...e=news&article_path=/news/06/news060426_7.htm
DENVER - A House panel on Tuesday endorsed a bill by Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, to improve interpretation services for the deaf in court proceedings.
"I have seen cases where people wait hours - literally hours - for a government interpreter to be available," said Larson, who uses a hearing aid.
Under Senate Bill 61, courts have to provide interpreters, computer translators or listening devices to any party, witness or juror in a civil or criminal proceeding.
The Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing would have to write detailed rules on interpreters. Costs would total about $200,000 next year and $300,000 the year after, according to the Legislature's staff.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 9-0 for the bill, prompting several deaf or hard-of-hearing supporters in the room to raise their hands and wiggle their fingers - the sign for applause.
DENVER - A House panel on Tuesday endorsed a bill by Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, to improve interpretation services for the deaf in court proceedings.
"I have seen cases where people wait hours - literally hours - for a government interpreter to be available," said Larson, who uses a hearing aid.
Under Senate Bill 61, courts have to provide interpreters, computer translators or listening devices to any party, witness or juror in a civil or criminal proceeding.
The Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing would have to write detailed rules on interpreters. Costs would total about $200,000 next year and $300,000 the year after, according to the Legislature's staff.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 9-0 for the bill, prompting several deaf or hard-of-hearing supporters in the room to raise their hands and wiggle their fingers - the sign for applause.
It boggles my mind the courts would include nearly everyone else, but the critical components of the process, i.e., attorneys, are left out.