A new proposal has been posted to the California Courts website, at https://courts.ca.gov/policy-administration/invitations-comment

Court Interpreters SP26-05

Title: Court Interpreters: Revisions to Payment Policies for Independent Contractor Interpreters

Summary: The annual Budget Act instructs the Judicial Council to set policies and compensation rates for contract court interpreters, not to exceed the rates paid to certified court interpreters in the federal court system. In response to increasing interpreter expenditures and challenges in managing interpreter resources, the Court Executives Advisory Committee (CEAC) recommends revising the Payment Policies for Independent Contractor Interpreters to promote short- and long-term cost containment measures. These include implementing non-negotiable rates, establishing uniform travel compensation, standardizing contractual obligations for services rendered, and additional revisions to clarify and standardize administrative procedures across the state. To implement the required rate structure, CEAC proposes raising the maximum daily compensation rate for independent contractor interpreters to not exceed the rate paid to federally certified interpreters, as required by the annual Budget Act.

Deadline: Comments must be submitted by Monday, August 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM (Pacific Time)