text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``State Court Interpreter Grant 
  Program Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that--
              (1) the fair administration of justice depends on the 
          ability of all participants in a courtroom proceeding to 
          understand that proceeding, regardless of their English 
          proficiency;
              (2) 18 percent of the population of the United States over 
          5 years of age speaks a language other than English at home;
              (3) only qualified court interpreters can ensure that 
          persons with limited English proficiency comprehend judicial 
          proceedings in which they are a party;
              (4) the knowledge and skills required of a qualified court 
          interpreter differ substantially from those required in other 
          interpretation settings, such as social service, medical, 
          diplomatic, and conference interpreting;
              (5) the Federal Government has demonstrated its commitment 
          to equal administration of justice regardless of English 
          proficiency;
              (6) Executive Order 13166, issued August 11, 2000, requires 
          Federal Agencies, including courts, to improve access for 
          persons who have limited English proficiency;
              (7) 29 States have developed, or are developing, court 
          interpreting programs;
              (8) robust, effective court interpreter programs--
                      (A) actively recruit skilled individuals to be 
                  court interpreters;
                      (B) train those individuals in the interpretation 
                  of court proceedings;
                      (C) develop and use a thorough, systematic 
                  certification process for court interpreters;
                      (D) have sufficient funding to ensure that a 
                  qualified interpreter will be available to the court 
                  whenever necessary; and
              (9) Federal funding is necessary to--
                      (A) encourage States that do not have court 
                  interpreter programs to develop them;
                      (B) assist States with nascent court interpreter 
                  programs to implement them;
                      (C) assist States with limited court interpreter 
                  programs to enhance them; and
                      (D) assist States with robust court interpreter 
                  programs to make further improvements and share 
                  successful programs with other States.
  
  SEC. 3. STATE COURT INTERPRETER PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Grants Authorized.--
              (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Office of Justice 
          Programs of the Department of Justice (referred to in this 
          section as the ``Administrator'') shall make grants, in 
          accordance with such regulations as the Attorney General may 
          prescribe, to States to develop and implement programs to 
          assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access 
          and understand State court proceedings in which they are a 
          party.
              (2) Technical assistance.--The Administrator shall 
          allocate, for each fiscal year, $500,000 of the amount 
          appropriated pursuant to section 4 to be used to establish a 
          court interpreter technical assistance program to assist States 
          receiving grants under this Act.
      (b) Use of Grants.--Grants awarded pursuant to subsection (a) may 
  be used by States to--
              (1) assess regional language demands;
              (2) develop a court interpreter program for the State;
              (3) develop, institute, and administer language 
          certification examinations;
              (4) recruit, train, and certify qualified court 
          interpreters;
              (5) pay for salaries, transportation, and technology 
          necessary to implement the court interpreter program developed 
          pursuant to paragraph (2); and
              (6) engage in other related activities, as prescribed by 
          the Attorney General.
      (c) Application.--Each State desiring a grant under this section 
  shall submit an application to the Administrator at such time, in such 
  manner, and accompanied by such information as the Administrator may 
  reasonably require.
      (d) State Allotments.--
              (1) Base allotment.--From amounts appropriated for each 
          fiscal year pursuant to section 4, the Administrator shall 
          allocate $100,000 to each State, which has an application 
          approved under subsection (c).
              (2) Discretionary allotment.--From amounts appropriated for 
          each fiscal year pursuant to section 4, the Administrator shall 
          allocate a total of $5,000,000 to the States that have 
          extraordinary needs that must be addressed in order to develop, 
          implement, or expand a State court interpreter program.
              (3) Additional allotment.--In addition to the allocations 
          made under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Administrator shall 
          allocate to each State, which has an application approved under 
          subsection (c), an amount equal to the product reached by 
          multiplying--
                      (A) the unallocated balance of the amount 
                  appropriated for each fiscal year pursuant to section 
                  4; and
                      (B) the ratio between the number of people over 5 
                  years of age who speak a language other than English at 
                  home in the State and the number of people over 5 years 
                  of age who speak a language other than English at home 
                  in all the States that receive an allocation under 
                  paragraph (1), as those numbers are determined by the 
                  Bureau of the Census.
  
  SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for each of the 
  fiscal years 2005 through 2008 to carry out this Act.
target: State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act - Directs the Administrator of the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice to: (1) make grants to States to develop and implement programs to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access and understand State court proceedings in which they are a party; and (2) allocate specified funds to establish a court interpreter technical assistance program to assist States receiving grants under this Act.
  
  Authorizes the use of grant awards by States to: (1) assess regional language demands; (2) develop a court interpreter program; (3) develop, institute, and administer language certification examinations; (4) recruit, train, and certify qualified court interpreters; and (5) pay for salaries, transportation, and technology necessary to implement the programs.
feat_title: A bill to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to States to develop and implement State court interpreter programs.