A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR INTERPRETER SERVICES IN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENtS and local departments of social services.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to hire qualified interpreters based in local health departments and local departments of social services in the State.  In addition, these funds may be used by local health departments and local departments of social services to provide incentives to recruit and hire bilingual providers.  The Department shall allocate these funds to local health departments and local departments of social services based on funding criteria as recommended by the State Health Director in conjunction with the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors and the Department of Health and Human Services Hispanic Health Task Force.
SECTION 2.  Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services in Section 1 of this act, the sum of one hundred seventy‑five thousand dollars ($175,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year shall be used to provide training and continuing education sessions for interpreters.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.