Continuing education is required by the Nebraska Judicial Branch to ensure that certified, provisionally certified, and registered interpreters who serve the Nebraska Judicial Branch maintain and improve their interpreting skills. Additionally, continuing education is required to ensure that certified, provisionally certified, and registered interpreters are in compliance with Local Rules in Chapter 6 (Trial Courts), Article 7 (Interpreters in the Nebraska Judicial Branch), and the Nebraska Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters (Appendix 1).

   As of July 1, 2012, these requirements apply to all interpreters who are certified, provisionally certified, or registered interpreters in the State of Nebraska who wish to interpret for the Nebraska Judicial Branch. Meeting these requirements is a condition to remain a certified, provisionally certified, or registered interpreter and to remain on the statewide register of interpreters.

   (A) Continuing Education Requirement refers to educational activities in which the interpreter engages after qualifying as a certified, provisionally certified, or registered foreign language interpreter, or a certified or non-certified Sign Language or Deaf interpreter.

   Every certified, provisionally certified, and registered foreign language interpreter shall complete and report five (5) credit hours of approved continuing education offered or accredited by the Nebraska Judicial Branch every year. At least two (2) continuing education hours must be earned in professional responsibility. The one-year reporting period commences as set forth below at § 6-710(C).

  Every certified Sign Language and Certified Deaf Interpreter must complete and report the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) required 20 contact hours with the minimum of 15 hours in Professional Studies every year. Participants must work with a RID-Approved Sponsor to earn continuing education credits.

  Every non-certified Sign Language and Deaf Interpreter must complete and report the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing required 12 clock hours with a minimum of 9 hours in Professional Studies and 1.5 hours in interpreter ethics every year.

   (B) Approved/Accredited Continuing Education shall be earned in participatory activities, i.e., a course, conference, workshop, lecture, or other activity, at which attendance is monitored and verified. Participatory continuing education activities may include courses offered at accredited institutions of higher learning or conferences or workshops sponsored by accredited professional organizations.

   Continuing Education credits may be obtained through programs, conferences, and workshops endorsed and credited for continuing education by the Nebraska or other State or Federal Administrative Offices of the Courts, the Nebraska Association for Translators and Interpreters (NATI), the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT), the American Translators Association (ATA), and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), along with educational programs offered by colleges and/or universities, or training programs offered by other Language Access Services Section member states. 

   Continuing education credit granted shall be for the actual number granted by accredited programs, conferences, workshops, or training programs. Auditing an academic college level language course for continuing education credit or taking same for academic credit is permitted with education credits under this rule allocated as follows: one academic quarter unit shall be deemed equivalent to 10 continuing education credits and one academic semester unit shall be deemed equivalent to 15 continuing education credits.

   Continuing education credit will be awarded only after completion of the entire activity. Partial attendance does not qualify for continuing education credit. Reasonable absences are allowed for academic courses. The academic institution's attendance requirements for credit must be met to be eligible for continuing education credit. If an educational activity spans two compliance periods, credit will be earned in the period in which the activity is completed. No continuing education hours may be carried over from one compliance period to the next.

   To receive continuing education credit for a particular educational activity, other than those listed above, the interpreter may request credit by submitting information regarding the activity (e.g., description of curriculum, agenda of conference, etc.) to the Nebraska Judicial Branch, and must receive approval prior to attendance at the activity. This information shall be submitted in advance of the program to ensure approval. Retroactive approval may be sought for good cause.

   Any interpreter who wishes to receive continuing education credit must be able to show proof of having taken the course or attended the conference or workshop (e.g., an official transcript from the university or college, or a receipt and/or certificate of completion from the conference or workshop).

   (C)  Compliance. Each certified, provisionally certified, and registered foreign language interpreter and each certified and non-certified Sign Language or Deaf Interpreter is required to submit a completed Annual Interpreter Continuing Education Compliance Form (Appendix 2) every year. The year begins on January 1 following the date an interpreter becomes certified, provisionally certified, or registered. The Nebraska Judicial Branch will make available, by the interpreter's request or online, the approved compliance form to be submitted. The approved compliance form shall be filed no later than February 1 of each year.

   (D) Noncompliance. Noncompliance with the continuing education requirement shall result in the interpreter's name being removed from the statewide register of interpreters and they shall not be given interpreting assignments with the Nebraska Judicial Branch until the continuing education requirement is met.

§ 6-709 adopted May 16, 2012, effective July 1, 2012; § 6-709 and (B)-(C) amended April 14, 2021; § 6-709 renumbered to § 6-710 and amended June 12, 2024.