Director reports growth in licensees and complaints; commission adopts interpreter exam rule changes, advances court reporting study

The commission heard an annual report from the commission director outlining licensing and compliance trends and approved proposed rule changes to the court interpreter examination and related fees.

Directors report: The director told commissioners the licensing rolls include 7,622 licensees and certificate holders under the commissions jurisdiction, a 16.5% increase since 2020. Staff attributed much of that overall growth to an approximately 30% increase in process servers, the commissions largest single group by count. The director said court reporters and court interpreters also rose: court reporters are now about 2,300 and interpreters about 495, both up roughly 8% since 2020.

The director said the commission administers or oversees several exams (interpreters, guardianship, shorthand reporter exams) and processes continuing education approvals each biennium. The director noted a more-than-100% increase in complaints since 2020,…