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Court Interpreters Grant Program Approved By Senate PanelTestifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said the current lack of qualified court interpreters creates a significant threat to the nation's judicial system. Now that same committee has approved legislation by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) to ensure that interpreter services are available to individuals testifying in state courts. The bill authorizes $15 million per year over five years to implement the State Court Interpreter Grant Program. Participating states would be eligible for a $100,000 base allotment grant, and $5 million would be reserved for states that demonstrate an extraordinary need. U.S. Senate (04/24/08) Creating a National Language PolicyAn invitation-only gathering of academic, government, and non-government representatives recently met to discuss how the United States can enhance its linguistic resources. Attendees were challenged by the conference organizer to consider what governmental policies and structures might be needed for the improvement of American foreign language proficiency. The hope is that governmental advocacy can help foreign languages achieve a level of prominence in education comparable to the emphasis on science and technology following the launch of Sputnik. A panel formed during the conference will work to promote some of the concepts discussed at the gathering and to emphasize to business leaders the concerns of academics involved in foreign language and international education. Chronicle of Higher Education (04/03/08) Spanish Translation of "The Da Vinci Code" Stuns U.S. Publishing HousesIt was no secret that the publishing industry couldn’t see a profit in translating English best-sellers into Spanish. With one exception, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” these books just didn't sell – that is, until Dan Brown’s "El Codigo Da Vinci" entered the market. More than 300,000 copies of the translation were sold in the U.S., where typically a successful Spanish-language title sells no more than 20,000 copies. And that got a lot of people thinking: Is this a new era for Spanish-language books in America? California Language Access Requirements Set to BeginFour years ago, California’s state legislature voted in regulations to require private healthcare insurers to provide language services for covered individuals who speak little English. Mid 2008 was established as the deadline for providers to submit compliance plans, with fines for non-compliance scheduled to begin in 2009. The legislation is not without controversy – some say the new rules should have included a ban on the use of relatives as interpreters; others believe that providing language services will drive up costs which will be passed on to patients in the form of higher premiums.
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