New Mexico Register / Volume XXXIV, Issue 5 / March 14, 2023

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING AND RULE HEARING

The New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board will hold a rule hearing on, Friday, April 28th, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Following the rule hearing, the Board will convene a regular board meeting to consider and adopt the rules and take care of regular business. The meeting will be held at the Regulation and Licensing Department at 2550 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87507.

The rule hearing and subsequent Board meeting will also be held virtually via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting please visit this link: Microsoft Teams

The purpose of the rule hearing is to consider the proposed rule amendments to the following rules:

16.28.2 NMAC - EDUCATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

16.28.3 NMAC - APPLICATION AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

16.28.7 NMAC - LICENSURE FOR MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, SPOUSES, AND VETERANS

The amendments to Parts 2, 3 and 7 are intended to address and update the Board’s rules to incorporate changes made by the Register of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) regarding credential verification for purposes of tracking continuing education credits for community, educational and provisional signed language interpreter licensure applicants. The amendments also remove typographical, grammatical and formatting errors.

To obtain and review copies of the proposed changes and public comments, you may go to the Board’s website at: https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/signed-language-interpreting-practices/slip-board-information/slip-board-meetings/ or contact the Boards and Commissions Division at (505) 476-4930 or by email at signlanguage.board@rld.nm.gov.

The Board is currently accepting public written comments on the proposed amendments. Please submit written comments on the proposed changes to Phyllis Gilmore, Senior Board Administrator, via electronic mail to signlanguage.board@rld.nm.gov, or by regular mail at P.O. Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504, no later than Thursday, April 27th, 2023. Written comments received prior to the rule hearing will be posted to the RLD website at Signed Language Interpreting Practices Rules and Laws - NM RLD. Persons will also be given the opportunity to present their written or oral comments at the public rule hearing.

The agenda for the board meeting will be posted and available at least 72 hours before the meeting on the Board website at Signed Language Interpreting Practices Board Meetings - NM RLD. Copies of the agenda may also be obtained by contacting Phyllis Gilmore, Senior Board Administrator at (505) 476-4930.

An individual with a disability who needs a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or other forms of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing, please contact Phyllis Gilmore, Senior Board Administrator (505)476- 4613.

Statutory Authority: Legal authority for this rulemaking may be found in the Signed Language Interpreting Practices Act, Section 61-34-8 NMSA 1978, among other provisions which specifically authorizes the Board to “promulgate rules pursuant to the State Rules Act [Chapter 14, Article 4, 1978] to effective carry out and enforce the provisions of the Signed Language Interpreting Practices Act.”

Summary and Purpose of Proposed Rules:

16.28.2 Education and Continuing Education Requirements - the amendments to this part clarify which documents must be submitted by RID and BEI interpreters for compliance with the Board’s continuing education requirements.

16.28.3 Application and Licensure Requirements - the amendments to this part clarifies the types of proof that must be submitted by applicants for community, educational and provisional signed language interpreter licenses.

16.28.7 Licensure for Military Service Members, Spouses and Veterans - the amendments to this part clarify that types of proof that must be submitted by applicants for community, education and provisional licensure under this rule. The amendments are also made to be consistent with other parts of the Board’s rules regarding licensure, specifically 16.28.3 NMAC.