The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf told commissioners that two proposed rule changes — repealing an obsolete interpreter certificate program and expanding interpreter-related board responsibilities — were published on Sept. 20, and that a separate rule establishing minimum standards for sign language interpreters is awaiting review by the Attorney General's office.

Interim Director Broussard summarized the agency's rulemaking timeline and said the agency had posted three notices of intent. Broussard said the two rule actions (the repeal of the old certificate and the board-responsibility additions) are now visible in the state registrar, but the interpreter-minimum-standards rule remains "on hold" while the Department of Health and the Attorney General provide required reviews. "We are at, our document now sits at the AGES office for review, and that's the current situation," Broussard said.

Broussard explained the remaining procedural steps: the Attorney General's office (occupational review panel) will review the proposed occupational standards and then the Department of Health will transmit the rule to the state oversight committee for a second review. Broussard said that if the Attorney General or the oversight committee raises issues, LCD will be contacted for clarification. Commissioners asked whether review occurs only during the legislative session; Broussard said the oversight review group meets monthly and is not limited to the legislative session.

Commissioner Wellens and other commissioners had asked for clarification about timing and which committees review the rules. Broussard said the process involves an initial oversight review, AG review, and a second oversight review by the Department of Health; staff promised to notify the board of any questions from reviewers.

No formal vote on the rule language occurred at the meeting. Commissioners expressed interest in moving the rulemaking forward but noted the multi-step review process and the agency's limited control over external reviewers' schedules.

The discussion followed previous public meetings and an August 18 Department of Health response that had not changed the draft language submitted earlier by the board. Broussard said delays between August and October were attributable to paperwork and registration with the Attorney General's office and that the AG review is the current bottleneck.

The commission will await AG feedback before the rules proceed to the legislative oversight step.