(a) In any court proceeding wherein a party or witness or juror cannot readily understand or verbally communicate the English language because the witness or juror is deaf or because of any other hearing difficulties, such person shall have the right to have a qualified interpreter to assist the witness or juror at every stage of the proceeding. Such right shall also pertain in any proceeding before administrative boards, commissions or agencies of this state or any political subdivision or municipality thereof, and in coroners” inquests and grand jury proceedings.
(b) The director of the administrative office of the Supreme Court of Appeals shall establish a program to facilitate the use of interpreters in courts of this state and in extra-judicial criminal proceedings as provided for in this section.
(1) The director shall prescribe, determine and certify the qualifications of persons who may serve as certified interpreters in courts of this state in proceedings involving the deaf and hard of hearing. Persons certified by the director shall be interpreters certified by the national registry of interpreters for the deaf, or the West Virginia registry of interpreters for the deaf or approved by the chief of services for the deaf and hard of hearing of West Virginia of the West Virginia Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, or shall be such other persons deemed by the director to be qualified by education, training and experience. The director shall maintain a current master list of all interpreters certified by the director and shall report annually on the frequency of requests for, and the use and effectiveness of, interpreters.