H.B. No. 1642




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, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read 
as follows:
	(c)  Subject to Subsection (e), in [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.
	(d)  Subject to Subsection (e), in a county with a population 
of 50,000 or more, a court may appoint a spoken language interpreter 
who is not a certified or licensed court interpreter if:
		(1)  the language necessary in the proceeding is a 
language other than Spanish; and
		(2)  the court makes a finding that there is no licensed 
court interpreter within 75 miles who can interpret in the language 
that is necessary in a proceeding.
	(e)  A person appointed under Subsection (c) or (d) [and 
who]:
		(1)  must be [is] qualified by the court as an expert 
under the Texas Rules of Evidence;
		(2)  must be [is] at least 18 years of age; and       
		(3)  may [is] not be 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.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 1642 was passed by the House on April 
20, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	I certify that H.B. No. 1642 was passed by the Senate on May 
24, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Secretary of the Senate    



APPROVED:  _____________________                                            
 
                   Date                                                      




 
          _____________________                                          
 
                 Governor