SB 129-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/22/07 0647s
2007 SESSION
08/05
SENATE BILL 129-FN
AN ACT requiring interpretation services upon request for persons receiving medical treatment.
SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24; Rep. P. McMahon, Merr 3; Rep. Harding, Graf 11; Rep. Jeudy, Hills 10; Rep. Velez, Hills 12
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
This bill requires hospitals to provide interpreters to persons not proficient in English upon request.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/22/07 0647s
07-0295
08/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT requiring interpretation services upon request for persons receiving medical treatment.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Patients’ Bill of Rights; Definitions. Amend RSA 151:19, I-a to read as follows:
I-a. “Clinician” means a person qualified in the clinical practice of medicine, psychiatry, or psychology. “Clinician” does not mean a person who specializes only in laboratory or research techniques or in theory.
I-b. “Discharge” means movement of a patient from a facility to a noninstitutional setting when the discharging facility ceases to be legally responsible for the care of the patient.
2 New Paragraph; Patients’ Bill of Rights; Definitions. Amend RSA 151:19 by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraphs:
VI-a. “Qualified interpreter” means an interpreter who is proficient in English and in the language of the patient, can accurately interpret messages communicated between patient and provider, is an adult, is not a relative or a close friend of the patient, and has received professional training as an interpreter according to the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care developed by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care.
3 New Paragraph; Patients’ Bill of Rights; Right to Interpreter. Amend RSA 151:21 by inserting after paragraph XX the following new paragraph:
XXI. The patient shall have the right to request to speak with an appropriate bilingual clinician if one is available. If a bilingual clinician is unavailable, the patient shall have access to an interpreter, either in person, or via a telephonic or televiewing interpreter service. The receipt by any non-English speaker of interpreter services shall not be deemed the receipt of a “public benefit” under any provision of law restricting benefits or assistance on the basis of immigrant status.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2008.
LBAO
07-0295
Revised 03/20/07
SB 129 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring interpretation services upon request for persons receiving medical treatment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or expenditures.
METHODOLOGY
The Department of Health and Human Services states this bill requires hospitals to provide interpreters to patients upon request at no cost to the consumer. Since this bill does not alter the responsibilities of the Department, it will have no fiscal impact on the Department.