ATA Newsbriefs

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 377 (AB 377), which would establish English as the official state language and allow state agencies to use artificial intelligence tools instead of providing interpreters during court proceedings. The bill now advances to the state senate.

AB 377 was introduced in July 2025, four months after an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that established English as the official language of the U.S. AB 377 would require that most government communications to citizens be provided in English.

Representative David Murphy, who coauthored AB 377, said the bill will promote societal cohesion and save costs incurred from providing interpreters.

“One of the important things about having an official language for society is that language draws people together, and I think it’s really important to give a society cohesiveness with people who speak the same language,” Murphy said.

“You want to make it legal to use AI as an interpreter, which might be useful for ordering lunch, but certainly not sufficient for legal hearings, official forms, and civil rights — not to mention that this implementation of AI would, quite literally, take jobs away from Wisconsinites who work as interpreters,” said Representative Priscilla Prado, who chairs the Wisconsin Hispanic Legislative Caucus. “If efficiency were the goal, we would be talking about improving language access, not political symbolism. Wisconsin does not lose its identity because Spanish or another language is spoken. What it does lose is credibility when it ignores a substantial part of its population.”

Joseph Salmons, a professor of linguistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, said measures to make English an official state language have had limited yet negative effects.

“The bill sends a signal, and it’s the same signal the executive order sent, which is that other languages are not welcome here,” Salmons said. “It’s damaging to the fabric of communities.”

[Note: ATA encourages members to email or call Wisconsin legislators now.]

The Badger Herald (1/21/26) By Abigail Wandersee

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Since 2022, certified medical interpreters (CMIs) and administrators in the Workers’ Compensation Interpreter Group within the Northern California Translators Association (NCTA) have expressed concern about the misuse of the pre-certification HUB-CMI (HUB for Credentialed Medical Interpreters) badge issued by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI).

Specifically, the group and the NCTA at large report a widespread and growing trend of non-certified individuals accepting interpreting assignments reserved for CMIs. State regulations explicitly require fully certified interpreters for high-stakes medical-legal evaluations.

To uphold due process for working-age Californians who speak a language other than English at home, the Department of Workers’ Compensation mandates that an interpreter be present at all medical treatment appointments, legal depositions, and hearings.

The NCTA has documented numerous incidents where non-certified individuals were erroneously permitted to interpret at these frequent workers’ compensation evaluations, which by law are reserved for highly qualified, fully certified interpreters.

The issue is not just the lack of full certification, but also how those credentials are presented. Certification advocates allege that a number of HUB-CMI credential holders are intentionally misrepresenting themselves as “fully certified” to medical office staff.

HUB-CMI is a preliminary, non-renewable entry-level interpreting credential. It indicates that an individual has passed a written examination in English only, demonstrating a baseline knowledge of the medical interpreting profession.

CMI is the full certification granted by the NBCMI. It requires passing both the written exam and a rigorous oral examination in a specific language. The proper credential designation includes the language, such as “CMI-Spanish.”

Advocates for certified interpreters argue that credential misrepresentation, including expired pre-certification status, is a direct violation of the NBCMI’s own disciplinary policy, which lists “fraud or misrepresentation of the NBCMI credentials” as grounds for sanctions.

“It would be simply devastating to see NBCMI or other certified interpreters, who have spent considerable resources on training and testing, be replaced by those who have not yet attained the appropriate credentials,” said Lorena Ortiz Schneider, a leading advocate for California certified interpreters.

“The National Board has emphasized that, as a certification body, we do not have the power to oversee the types of assignments that an interpreter takes,” said NBCMI Chair, Joanna Larson. “We have recommended that these concerns be taken to the relevant state body that oversees this legislation. Additionally, we have reminded CMI and HUB-CMI interpreters that they are responsible for being familiar with and abiding by any local laws in the area or areas that they serve.”

Slator (1/29/26) By Rocío Txabarriaga

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Maine lawmakers are considering a bill intended to increase access to American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters by expanding the educational pathway to achieve certification and allowing more time to complete requirements.

The bill also aims to make it easier to mobilize communication more quickly in emergencies. In the immediate aftermath of the Lewiston mass shooting in 2023, for example, ASL interpreters weren’t immediately allowed into hospitals.

But Matt Webster, director of the Maine Association of the Deaf, said during a public hearing before the legislature’s Health Coverage, Insurance, and Financial Services Committee that the bill should be amended to further broaden pathways to certification.

“The Deaf community deserves qualified, experienced interpreters, and these amendments, while maintaining all quality standards, remove unnecessary barriers,” Webster said.

Maine Public (1/28/26) By Patty Wight

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Illinois schools will soon receive incentives to expand dual language programs thanks to a new state law.

House Bill 3026 calls on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to adopt a comprehensive plan for school districts to establish or expand dual language education in their schools by December 15, 2026.

The law also requires Illinois to establish an optional pathway to recognize biliteracy at various levels before high school by July 1, 2027. That change would include milestones for bilingual students in Pre-K, fifth grade, and eighth grade to encourage early language development.

“These provisions stem from recommendations from the Illinois Advisory Council on Bilingual Education’s report,” said Senator Graciela Guzman, who sponsored the bill along with Representative Abdelnasser Rashid. “Most notably are the no-cost recommendations that would allow us to build up dual lingual language in our state in a critical way.”

The law requires ISBE’s Equity Journey Continuum to integrate dual language education into the broader framework of student learning to ensure that it’s considered an essential part of educational equity and excellence by July 1, 2029. This includes provisions for dual language teachers, focusing on recruitment, professional development, and retention of bilingual educators.

“As someone who grew up in a multilingual household, I can tell you firsthand that learning another language is an incredibly enriching experience,” Representative Abdelnasser Rashid said. “This bill doesn’t just expand dual language programs. It will improve academic achievement, enhance cultural preservation, and help our young people become well-rounded individuals with a better understanding of themselves and the world.”

WAND-TV (1/12/26) By Mike Miletich

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Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defense, Thomas Byrne, signed an administrative cooperation agreement for the provision of simultaneous interpreting services, including Irish, at informal ministerial meetings and summits to be held in Ireland during the country’s term as president of the Council of the European Union (EU) from July 1 to December 31, 2026

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU member states every six months. During this six-month period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level within the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU’s work in the Council.

The agreement marks a significant milestone in Ireland’s linguistic and cultural engagement with the EU and provides an opportunity to reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to multilingualism, along with full integration of the Irish language, in European affairs.

Minister Byrne was joined by the Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Interpretation, Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, for the signing.

“Ireland’s 2026 EU presidency is a landmark because it is our first EU presidency since the Irish language assumed its full status as an official and working language of the EU,” Minister Byrne said. “I believe that the ability for ministers and officials from across the EU to engage fully in their own languages supports meaningful dialogue, effective negotiations, and good decision-making.”

Gov.ie (1/26/26)

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