Tennessee Senate Bill SB0942

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Failed: 3/18/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 63; Title 68, Chapter 1, Part 1 and Title 71, Chapter 4, Part 21, relative to sign language interpreters.

Summary

SB0942 creates a new regulatory framework for sign language interpreting in Tennessee. It establishes a Tennessee Board of Professional Sign Language Interpreters within the Department of Health, defines key terms such as sign language interpreter, deaf interpreter, provisional interpreter, and temporary nonresident interpreter, and gives the board authority to adopt rules governing licensure, discipline, complaints, fees, reciprocity, and professional development. The bill also sets up a dedicated state fund to support the board’s operations and requires the board to maintain a public registry of licensed interpreters and permit holders. The bill generally requires people who interpret sign language for pay in Tennessee to hold one of several forms of authorization, including a full license, provisional license, or temporary nonresident license. It sets eligibility standards such as age, background checks, recognized certification or proficiency testing, ethics commitments, and continuing education requirements. It also creates specific pathways for existing interpreters already practicing in Tennessee before July 1, 2025, for out-of-state interpreters through reciprocity, and for certain religious-entity interpreters, while also allowing limited unlicensed interpreting in emergencies or when no licensed interpreter is available and video relay is not viable.

Impact

The bill would add a new chapter to Title 63 regulating sign language interpreting as a licensed profession and would amend related provisions in Titles 68 and 71 to recognize the new board and coordinate its work with the Tennessee Council for the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing. It would affect interpreters, interpreting agencies, and entities that assign interpreters by making licensure status a condition of paid practice and by authorizing civil penalties and disciplinary action for violations. It also creates a separate fund in the state treasury to pay for implementation and enforcement, with fees collected from applicants and licensees supporting the program rather than the general fund after initial startup costs.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text and committee history is supportive of professionalizing and improving access to qualified interpreting services for deaf, deaf-blind, and hard-of-hearing Tennesseans. The bill passed the Senate Government Operations Committee unanimously with an amendment and referral, suggesting broad agreement on the need for regulation. However, it later failed in the Senate Education Committee on a 4-4 vote, indicating that while the concept had support, there was not consensus on the bill’s final form or scope.

Contention

Likely points of contention include whether licensure is the best way to ensure quality and access, whether the proposed requirements are too burdensome for current interpreters, and how the bill might affect service availability in rural or emergency settings. The bill’s exemptions for emergencies, religious entities, and limited unlicensed practice suggest lawmakers were trying to balance consumer protection with practical access concerns. The failed committee vote also implies disagreement over implementation details such as board authority, fees, reciprocity, and the transition rules for existing practitioners.