The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2023 - 9

ATA ADVOCACY
ATA Opposes Oregon
Senate Bill 584
A
TA recently
submitted a letter in
opposition to Oregon
Senate Bill 584, which would
task the Oregon Health
Authority (OHA) with setting
up a web-based platform for
scheduling and paying health
care interpreters in Oregon.
The intentions of this
bill to address low rates
and working conditions
of interpreters in Oregon
are laudable, and ATA
supports efforts, especially
interpreter-led efforts, to
earn rates commensurate
with the experience,
expertise, high risk, and
traumatic nature of health
care interpreters' work.
However, as written,
www.ata-chronicle.online
this bill could create a
situation that puts limitedEnglish-proficient
(LEP)
individuals at risk by making
it more difficult to access
interpreting services to
which they are entitled under
the Civil Rights Act.
Background
On August 6, 2021, Oregon's
HB 2359 was signed into law.
Among other things, this
law requires that priority
be given to OHA-registered
interpreters before providers
can go to a language services
provider (LSP) to find an
appropriate interpreter.
SB 584 was introduced on
January 9, 2023, as a followup
to this law.
Rationale for Opposition
As written, SB 584 is not
workable because it would
make it more difficult for
LEPs to access qualified
and certified interpreters
by restricting the pool of
acceptable interpreters.
LEPs are entitled to free,
confidential, punctual, and
meaningful language access,
and restricting the pool of
interpreters could affect
their civil rights. It would
also create a separate system
for procuring interpreter
services in Oregon that
would further remove
interpreters from their
important role as members
of the medical team. This
role leads to greater respect
and better rates that in turn
keep pace with the growing
market for interpreting
services. ATA supports
meaningful language access
for LEP individuals, those
they interact with, and
improved rates and working
conditions for qualified and
certified interpreters.
Potential Solution
Proper enforcement of
HB 2359 may satisfy the
concerns that gave rise to
SB 584 and at the same
time ensure meaningful
language access for all those
who need it, protecting
the integrity of fair pay to
qualified interpreters, be
they rendering their service
on-site or remotely. Further
consultation with a broad
coalition of Oregonian
interpreters, especially
those for whom certification
is not available, could also
help improve the wording of
SB 584.
American Translators Association 9

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/SiteAssets/Pages/Government-Relations/OHA_HB%202359%20Report_Health%20Care%20Interpretation%20Services.pdf https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/SiteAssets/Pages/Government-Relations/OHA_HB%202359%20Report_Health%20Care%20Interpretation%20Services.pdf http://www.ata-chronicle.online

The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2023

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