Rep. Pare files bill in North Carolina House to regulate educational interpreters

A new bill filed by State Rep. Erin Paré in the North Carolina House seeks to establish training and licensure requirements for educational interpreters to ensure communication accessibility for students, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 854 on April 9 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Require Licensure of Educational Interpreters.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill seeks to eliminate the exemption of educational interpreters or transliterators from the requirements under the North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensure Act. It amends the existing law to define educational interpreters, specifying them as individuals providing communication accessibility to students from prekindergarten through higher education. The bill requires these interpreters to complete 15 hours of job-related training annually, with continuing education hours applicable towards this requirement if they align with job duties and are approved by local educational agencies. The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board and the Department of Public Instruction may create rules to enforce these changes. The bill will take effect Oct. 1, 2026.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Pare proposed the most bills (38) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Paré graduated from George Mason University in 2000 with a BA.

Paré, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 37th House district, replacing previous state representative Sydney Batch.