A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize the expansion of state‑reimbursed interpreting services to encompass all court proceedings in which an interpreter is necessary to assist the court in the efficient transaction of business.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7A‑314(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f)	In any case in which the Judicial Department is bearing the costs of representation for a party and that party or a witness for that party does not speak or understand the English language, and the court appoints a foreign language interpreter to assist that party or witness, the reasonable fee for the interpreter's services is payable from funds appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts.  The court may authorize the use of a court interpreter, paid from funds appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts, in  all proceedings in which an interpreter is necessary to assist the court in the efficient transaction of business. The appointment and payment shall be made in accordance with G.S. 7A‑343(9c)."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.