Registration: Yes

Regulation: Yes

A person only may provide sign language interpreting services for an agency or hospital if he has:

– Achieved nationally recognized certification; and
– may satisfactorily determine whether the credentials of a sign language interpreter meet the requirements of this chapter if the person is:
A. Registered with the South Carolilna Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation as indicated by the presence of the name of the person on an online directory maintained by the department pursuant to Section 40-24-17; and
B. Identified as having required credentials by the:
C. South Carolina Association of the Deaf or the South Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; and
D. National Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf
– Section 40-24-160
A. A person only may provide sign language interpreting services for a public school district if he has:
– Achieved an EIPA level of 3.5 or higher using the ASL/PSE language version;
– Successfully completed the EIPA written test;
– Provided a sworn statement that he has read, understands, and agrees to abide by the EIPA Code of Professional Conduct for Educational Interpreters; and
– Registered with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
– A public school district:
– Only may employ or use a person who has satisfied the criteria of subsection (A); and
– May satisfactorily determine whether the credentials of a sign language interpreter meet the requirements of this chapter if the person is:
– Registered with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation as indicated by the presence of the name of the person on an online directory maintained by the department pursuant to Section 40-24-170

Revised bill in effect by January 1, 2024

– A person only may provide interpreting services for an agency or hospital if he holds a recognized certification as defined in Section 40-84-110(4)

The department has no obligation to verify the credentials of a person registering with the department and may not investigate complaints of misconduct by a person registered with the department or impose discipline for misconduct. The role of the department is exclusively ministerial and limited to providing a means for registration and fee collection, maintaining the registry, and providing links to the websites specified in subsection (A).