We're pleased to report that we were able to successfully lobby for a major change in a provision of AB 1032 that threatened the ability of independent contractors to negotiate interpretation rates with the California courts. That provision previously read: Trial courts shall not offer premiums to independent contractors unless the same offer has been made to pro tempore employees or part-time and full-time employees on cross-assignment.
After weeks of meetings with the office of the author of AB 1032, Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco (D - 64th District), our lobbyists Mandy Lee and Dan Chia from Omni Government Relations were able to get that provision amended to its current form, where additional compensation for interpreter employees is no longer tied to compensation for independents.
Additionally, previous versions of AB 1032 basically precluded independents from being hired by the parties in a criminal proceeding, but we were able to successfully get that amended too.
AB 1032 was passed by the California legislature yesterday and is now awaiting Governor Newsom's signature to become law. You can read the entire Bill here: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1032 Thanks to all of you for supporting us with your membership and donations. We wouldn't be able to accomplish anything without it.