Sec. 46a-28. (Formerly Sec. 17-137m). Commission members, meetings, expenses, staff. (a) The commission shall consist of twenty-one members, three of whom
shall be ex officio. The ex-officio members shall consist of the following individuals:
The consultant appointed by the State Board of Education in accordance with section
10-316a, the president of the Connecticut Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf
and the superintendent of the American School for the Deaf. The following members
shall be voting members: The Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services, Mental
Health, Education, Mental Retardation, and Children and Families and the Labor Commissioner or their designees and eleven members appointed by the Governor. Of the
members appointed by the Governor one shall be a physician licensed to practice medicine in this state and specializing in otolaryngology; one a parent of a student in a
predominantly oral education program, one a parent of a student at the American School
for the Deaf and one a parent of a student in a public school hearing impaired program,
and seven deaf persons, one of whom shall be a parent.
(b) The commission shall meet at least quarterly or more often at the call of the
chairperson or a majority of the members. A majority of the voting members in office
but not less than seven voting members shall constitute a quorum.
(c) Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who
fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed
to have resigned. Vacancies occurring otherwise than by expiration of term in the membership of the commission shall be filled by the officer authorized to make the original
appointments.
(d) The members of the commission shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary
expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(e) There shall be established the position of executive director who shall be the
chief executive officer of the commission. His qualifications and compensation shall
be determined by the Commissioner of Administrative Services, subject to the approval
of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, pursuant to section 4-40. Said
executive director shall function under the direction of the commission.
(f) Subject to the provisions of chapter 67, the commission is authorized to employ
such clerical and other assistance as it requires to carry out the provisions of sections
46a-27 to 46a-32, inclusive.
(P.A. 74-252, S. 2, 11; P.A. 75-420, S. 4, 6; 75-638, S. 18, 23; P.A. 77-614, S. 302, 323, 521, 539, 610; P.A. 80-210;
P.A. 83-167; P.A. 84-361, S. 3, 7; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-262, S. 66, 87; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 75-420 replaced welfare commissioner with commissioner of social services; P.A. 75-638 replaced deputy
commissioner of health on mental retardation with commissioner of mental retardation; P.A. 77-614 replaced secretary
of the state board of education with commissioner of education, commissioner of health with commissioner of health
services and commissioner of social services with commissioner of human resources in Subsec. (a), replaced appointment
provisions in Subsec. (b) with simple statement that appointments are made by governor and provided that qualifications and
compensation of executive director be determined by commissioner of administrative services with approval of secretary of
office of policy and management rather than by abolished personnel policy board and that director be under direction of
human resources commissioner in Subsec. (e), effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-210 increased commission membership
from fifteen to twenty-three, adding commissioners of income maintenance and children and youth services, increasing
gubernatorial appointees from nine to eleven and deaf appointees from five to seven; P.A. 83-167 amended Subsec.
(a) by decreasing commission membership from twenty-three to twenty-two, deleting the ex officio membership of the
superintendent of the Mystic Oral School and providing that one member be a parent of a student in a predominantly oral
education program rather than of a student at the Mystic Oral School; P.A. 84-361 added provisions requiring that meetings
be held at least quarterly, establishing number of members required for quorum and setting standards of attendance required
to retain membership and made commission rather than human resources commissioner responsible for supervision of
executive director; Sec. 17-137m transferred to Sec. 46a-28 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department
of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-262 reduced commission membership from twenty-two to twenty-one to reflect reorganization of social services, replacing
reference to commissioners of income maintenance and human resources with commissioner of social services, effective
July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction
services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction
Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: A reference to
"Commissioners of Public Health ... Labor, Education, Mental Retardation, and Children and Families" was changed
editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioners of Public Health ... Education, Mental Retardation, and Children and Families
and the Labor Commissioner" for consistency with customary statutory usage).
Sec. 46a-29. (Formerly Sec. 17-137n). Assistance from other government
agencies; office space. (a) The commission may request and shall receive from any
department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or of any political
subdivision thereof such assistance and data as will enable it properly to carry out its
activities under sections 46a-27 to 46a-32, inclusive, and effectuate the purposes therein
set forth.
(b) The commission shall be provided with necessary office space in Hartford by
the Commissioner of Public Works.
(c) The Commissioner of Education shall assign one vocational rehabilitation consultant to act as a liaison staff member of the commission.
(P.A. 74-252, S. 3, 11; P.A. 77-614, S. 73, 302, 610; P.A. 87-496, S. 83, 110.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced public works commissioner with commissioner of administrative services and, effective
January 1, 1979, replaced secretary of the state board of education with commissioner of education; P.A. 87-496 substituted
public works commissioner for administrative services commissioner in Subsec. (b); Sec. 17-137n transferred to Sec. 46a-29 in 1991.
Sec. 46a-30. (Formerly Sec. 17-137o). Powers to receive moneys, make contracts. (a) The commission may receive moneys from any source, including gifts, grants,
bequests and reimbursements which moneys may be expended for the purposes designated by the donor or to effectuate the provisions of sections 46a-27 to 46a-30, inclusive,
and 46a-32.
(b) The commission is empowered to expend its appropriation and receipts to initiate and support the provisions of said sections by contract or other arrangement and to
contract for and engage consultants.
(P.A. 74-252, S. 4, 11; P.A. 76-211, S. 2, 4; P.A. 98-252, S. 77, 80.)
History: P.A. 76-211 included reimbursements as source of moneys and replaced reference to Sec. 17-137l with reference
to Sec. 17-137k; Sec. 17-137o transferred to Sec. 46a-30 in 1991; P.A. 98-252 made a technical change, effective July
1, 1998.
Sec. 46a-31. (Formerly Sec. 17-137p). Commission to administer funds for interpreters. Section 46a-31 is repealed, effective July 1, 1998.
(P.A. 74-252, S. 5, 11; P.A. 76-211, S. 3, 4; P.A. 77-458, S. 2; P.A. 80-53, S. 2; P.A. 81-153, S. 1, 2; 81-453, S. 2, 3;
P.A. 83-395, S. 3; P.A. 85-271, S. 3, 5; 85-613, S. 116, 154; P.A. 92-262, S. 37, 42; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess.
P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
Sec. 46a-32. (Former Sec. 17-137r). Annual and interim reports of commission. The commission shall make an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly which shall include its recommendations for needed programs. When advisable, the
commission may make an interim report to the Governor and the General Assembly
with its recommendations, in order to afford opportunity for immediate action to be
taken thereon.
(P.A. 74-252, S. 7, 11.)
History: Sec. 17-137r transferred to Sec. 46a-32 in 1991.
Sec. 46a-33. (Formerly Sec. 17-137k). "Qualified interpreter" definition. Interpreters for the deaf or hearing impaired person in public proceedings or in
proceedings provided by an employer or union. Interpreters to be provided upon
request by educational facilities and human service agencies. Section 46a-33 is repealed, effective July 1, 1998.
(P.A. 73-482, S. 1-3; P.A. 76-211, S. 1, 4; P.A. 77-458, S. 1; P.A. 80-53, S. 1; P.A. 81-453, S. 1, 3; P.A. 83-181, S. 1,
3; 83-395, S. 2; P.A. 84-47, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
Sec. 46a-33a. Registration of persons providing interpreting services. (a) For
the purposes of this section:
(1) "Interpreting" means the translating or transliterating of English concepts to
specialized vocabulary used by a person who is deaf or hard of hearing or means the
translating of a deaf or hard of hearing person's specialized vocabulary to English concepts. Specialized vocabulary concepts include, but are not limited to, the use of American sign language, English-based sign language, cued speech, oral transliterating and
information received tactually;
(2) "Legal setting" means any criminal or civil action involving the Superior Court
or its agents, any investigation conducted by a duly authorized law enforcement agency,
employment related hearings and appointments requiring the presence of an attorney;
(3) "Medical setting" means medical related situations including mental health
treatment, psychological evaluations, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention and
appointments or treatment requiring the presence of a doctor or nurse; and
(4) "Educational setting" means a school or other educational institution, including
elementary, high school and post-graduation schools where interpretive services are
provided to a student.
(b) Commencing October 1, 1998, and annually thereafter, all persons providing
interpreting services shall register with the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. Such registration shall be on a form prescribed or furnished by the commission
and shall include the registrant's name, address, phone number, place of employment
as interpreter and interpreter certification or credentials. Commencing July 1, 2001, and
annually thereafter, the commission shall issue identification cards for those who register
in accordance with this section.
(c) On and after July 1, 2001, no person shall provide interpreting services unless
such person is registered with the commission according to the provisions of this section
and (1) has passed the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf written generalist
test and holds a level three certification provided by the National Association of the
Deaf and documents the achievement of two continuing education units per year for a
maximum of five years of commission-approved training, (2) has passed the National
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf written generalist test and is a graduate of an accredited interpreter training program and documents the achievement of two continuing
education units per year for a maximum of five years of commission-approved training,
(3) holds a level four certification or higher from the National Association of the Deaf, (4)
holds certification by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (5) for situations
requiring an oral interpreter only, holds oral certification from the National Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, (6) for situations requiring a cued speech transliterator only,
holds certification from the National Training, Evaluation and Certification Unit and
has passed the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf written generalist test, or
(7) holds a reverse skills certificate or is a certified deaf interpreter under the National
Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf.
(d) On and after July 1, 2001, no person shall provide interpreting services in a
medical setting unless such person is registered with the commission according to the
provisions of this section and holds (1) a comprehensive skills certificate from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (2) a certificate of interpretation or a certificate of transliteration from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (3) a
level four certification from the National Association of the Deaf, (4) a reverse skills
certificate or is a certified deaf interpreter under the National Registry of Interpreters
of the Deaf, (5) for situations requiring an oral interpreter only, oral certification from
the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or (6) for situations requiring a cued
speech transliterator only, certification from the National Training, Evaluation and Certification Unit and has passed the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf written
generalist test.
(e) No person shall provide interpreting services in a legal setting unless such person
is registered with the commission according to the provisions of this section and holds
(1) a comprehensive skills certificate from the National Registry of Interpreters for the
Deaf, (2) a certificate of interpretation and a certificate of transliteration from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (3) a level five certification from the National
Association of the Deaf, (4) a reverse skills certificate or is a certified deaf interpreter
under the National Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, (5) for situations requiring an
oral interpreter only, oral certification from the National Registry of Interpreters for the
Deaf, or (6) for situations requiring a cued speech transliterator only, certification from
the National Training, Evaluation and Certification Unit and has passed the National
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf written generalist test.
(f) The requirements of this section shall apply to persons who receive compensation for the provision of interpreting services and include those who provide interpreting
services as part of their job duties.
(g) The provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall not apply to any person
providing interpreting services in an educational setting until July 1, 2003.
(P.A. 98-252, S. 73, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 24, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 129, 131.)
History: P.A. 98-252 effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 amended Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. (4) defining
"educational setting", amended Subsec. (d)(3) to reduce required certification from level five to level four and added
Subsec. (g) re provision of services in an educational setting, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 revised
effective date of June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2 but without affecting this section.