Translation and interpreting services in Concord

Language access rules in New Hampshire

Court interpreter program

New Hampshire Judicial Branch; for deaf and hard of hearing parties, RSA 521-A makes the presiding justice of the court the appointing authority responsible for appointing and paying a qualified interpreter.

Court-certified languages

For sign language, RSA 521-A:1 defines a qualified interpreter as one licensed under RSA 326-I by the Board of Licensing for Interpreters for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing.

The rule

RSA 521-A:2 requires the appointing authority at all stages of any proceeding before any court, department, board, commission, agency, or licensing authority to appoint, at the request of the deaf principal, a qualified interpreter to interpret the proceedings and the person's testimony, and RSA 521-A:10 requires the interpreter to take an oath to make a true interpretation.

Licensed sign language interpreters

Under RSA 326-I:7, since January 1, 2003 no one may be paid as an interpreter for deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing people, or hold themselves out as one, without a state license, subject to listed exemptions such as K-12 school district employees and certain nonresident interpreters in legal settings.

Penalties for unlicensed interpreting

RSA 326-I:18 makes practicing as an interpreter for the deaf without a license or waiver a class A misdemeanor for an individual and a felony for any other person, such as a company.

Agency hearings for deaf parties

RSA 521-A:2 extends the interpreter requirement beyond courts to departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and licensing authorities, and RSA 521-A:12 requires the appointing authority to pay the interpreter at a fixed rate reflecting the most recent fee schedule approved by the Department of Education, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Facility rate disclosures

Under RSA 151:21, III, patients of licensed health care facilities must be told in writing, in language the patient can understand, the facility's basic per diem rate and the services included and excluded.

Official language

RSA 3-C:1 makes English New Hampshire's official language and the language of official public documents, records, and proceedings, but RSA 3-C:2 exempts situations that would interfere with the needs of the justice system, situations where public safety, health, or emergency services require other languages, and expert testimony or witnesses who need another language.

Interpreter privilege

RSA 521-A:11 extends a privilege to the interpreter when a deaf person communicates through that interpreter in a situation where the communication would otherwise be privileged.