§ 154E.3 — Requirements for licensure

Iowa § 154E.3

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IV: PUBLIC HEALTH
• Ch. 154E: INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLITERATORS

Text

Every person providing interpreting or transliterating services in this state shall be licensed
pursuanttothischapter. Theboardshalladoptrulespursuanttochapters17A,147, and272C
establishing procedures for the licensing of new and existing interpreters. Prior to obtaining
licensure, an applicant shall successfully pass an examination prescribed and approved by
the board, demonstrating the following:
1. Voice-to-sign interpretation. An applicant shall demonstrate proficiency at:
a. Message equivalence: producing a true and accurate signed form of the spoken
message, maintaining the integrity of content and meaning, and exhibiting few omissions,
substitutions, or other errors.
§154E.3, INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLITERATORS 2
b. Affect: producing nonmanual grammar consistent with the intent and emotion of the
speaker, and exhibiting no distracting mannerisms.
c. Vocabulary choice: making correct sign choices appropriate to the setting and
consumers, applying facial grammar consistent with sign choice, selecting signs that remain
true to speaker’s intent, and demonstrating lexical variety.
d. Fluency: displaying confidence in production, exhibiting a strong command of
American sign language or manual codes for English, applying nonmanual behaviors
consistent with the speaker’s intent, and demonstrating understanding of and sensitivity to
cultural differences.
2. Sign-to-voice interpretation. An applicant shall demonstrate proficiency at:
a. Message equivalence: producing a true and accurate spoken form of the signed
message, maintaining the integrity of content and meaning, and exhibiting few omissions,
substitutions, or other errors.
b. Affect: producinginflectionconsistentwiththeintentandemotionofthespeaker, and
exhibiting no distracting mannerisms.
c. Vocabulary choice: making correct word choices appropriate to the setting and
consumers, using vocal inflection consistent with word choice, selecting words that remain
true to the speaker’s intent, and demonstrating lexical variety.
d. Fluency: displaying confidence in production, exhibiting a strong command of
English in both spoken and written forms, applying vocal inflections consistent with the
speaker’s intent, and demonstrating understanding of and sensitivity to cultural differences.
3. Professional conduct. An applicant shall demonstrate:
a. Proficiency in functioning as a communicator of messages between the sender and
receiver and educating consumers of services about the functions and logistics of the
interpreting process.
b. An impartial demeanor, refraining from interjecting opinions or advice and from
aligning with one party over another. An applicant shall treat all people fairly and
respectfully regardless of their relationship to the interpreting assignment, and present a
professional appearance that is not visually distracting and is appropriate to the setting. An
applicant shall exhibit knowledge and application of federal and state laws pertaining to the
interpreting profession.
c. Integrity, and shall be proficient in understanding and applying ethical behavior
appropriate for a licensee. An applicant shall demonstrate discretion in accepting and
meeting interpreter services requests, and shall engage actively in lifelong learning.