BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2493
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 18, 2012

                           ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE
                                 Jose Solorio, Chair
               AB 2493 (Hernandez) - As Introduced:  February 24, 2012
           
          SUBJECT  :   Workers' compensation: interpreters

           SUMMARY  :   Authorizes the Administrative Director (AD) of the 
          Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) to certify interpreters. 
           Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Authorizes the AD to establish, maintain, administer and 
            publish annually a list of certified administrative hearing 
            and certified medical examination interpreters determined to 
            meet the minimum standards specified in the Government Code.

          2)Authorizes the AD to designate an independent organization to 
            carry out these functions in lieu of having the work performed 
            within the DWC.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Requires the State Personnel Board (SPB) to establish, 
            maintain, administer and publish annually an updated list of 
            certified court, administrative hearing, and medical 
            examination interpreters.

          2)Entitles an injured worker who is not proficient in English to 
            an interpreter at various stages of the workers' compensation 
            process.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Minor costs to the DWC if the AD opts to 
          designate an outside organization to carry out the certification 
          functions; more significant, but undetermined, costs should the 
          functions be carried out by the DWC.

           COMMENTS  :   

          1)According to the author, the budget constraints of the past 
            several years have seriously hampered the SPB's ability to 
            certify enough interpreters for the workers' compensation 
            system.  As a result, uncertified interpreters are frequently 
            used.









                                                                  AB 2493
                                                                  Page  2

          2)The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation 
            (CHSWC) recommended in a report issued last year that the AD 
            be authorized to designate an organization to certify 
            interpreters.

          3)The bill does not currently specify the fee that an applicant 
            would have to pay to either the DWC or the designated 
            organization to cover the costs of the examination and 
            maintainance of the certified interpreter lists.  According to 
            the author, the SPB charges $150 per applicant.  Appropriate 
            language ensuring adequate but fair fees to be charged to 
            applicants should be developed as the bill moves to the 
            Appropriations Committee.

           

          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          California Association of Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO)
          Small Business California

           Opposition 
           
          None received
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Mark Rakich / INS. / (916) 319-2086