Commission for the Deaf public meetings in 2025

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf will meet to review its mandate and address old business. The primary focus is the creation and implementation of an Interpreter Advisory Committee.

• Discussion of purpose, membership criteria, and duties for a new Interpreter Advisory Committee

The Commission met as a committee of the whole to establish the purpose, membership criteria, and structure for a new interpreter advisory body. Members reached a general consensus on requirements for registration, experience, and regional representation.

• Approved December 1, 2025 meeting minutes
• Approved December 17, 2025 agenda (unanimous)
• Voted to move into Committee as a whole to discuss Interpreter Advisory Committee (unanimous)
• Voted to close the Committee as a whole (unanimous)

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Board of Commissioners will discuss and potentially decide on the creation of an Interpreter Advisory Committee. The meeting will also include routine items like approving minutes, public comments, and old/new business. Accessibility accommodations include ASL interpreters and live captioning.

• Creation of Interpreter Advisory Committee to the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Board of Commissioners
• Discussion of membership criteria, appointments, officers, duties, and official name for the new committee
• Public comments limited to 2 minutes per person
• Hybrid meeting (in-person at Benson Towers, New Orleans, and Zoom Webinar)
• Live captioning and ASL interpreters provided

The Commission for the Deaf determined the membership requirements for a new Interpreter Advisory Committee. Decisions regarding the committee's official name, officers, and duties were deferred to the next meeting.

• Approved November 10, 2025 meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Approved December 1, 2025 agenda (unanimous)
• Set Interpreter Advisory Committee size at maximum of seven persons
• Required committee members to be valid Louisiana Registered Interpreters with 3 years post-certification experience
• Prohibited owners or executive directors of interpreting agencies from membership
• Required regional representation from north, west, and east Louisiana
• Deferred appointments, officers, duties, and official committee name to next meeting

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Board of Commissioners will discuss creating an Interpreter Advisory Committee, including its purpose, membership criteria, appointments, and duties. The meeting is hybrid (in-person and Zoom) with ASL interpreters and live captioning provided.

• Creation of an Interpreter Advisory Committee to the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Board of Commissioners
• Discussion of committee purpose, membership criteria, appointments, officers, duties, and official name
• Public comments limited to 2 minutes per person
• Hybrid meeting at Benson Towers, New Orleans (1450 Poydras St., Suite 2024) with $8 garage parking in Superdome Garage 1A

The Commission for the Deaf reached a general consensus on the purpose and membership criteria for the creation of an Interpreter Advisory Committee. The committee will focus on standards, registration, and grievance policies.

• Approved October 30, 2025 minutes (unanimous)
• Approved November 10, 2025 agenda (unanimous)
• Established Interpreter Advisory Committee purpose to include grievance policy, standards, registration, compliance, and education (unanimous)
• Established Interpreter Advisory Committee membership criteria requiring at least 5 members, Louisiana residency, and statewide representation (unanimous)

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf will meet to discuss the creation and implementation of an Interpreter Advisory Committee. The board will review the committee's purpose, membership criteria, and duties.

• Discussion of Interpreter Adhoc Committee purpose
• Determination of membership criteria and appointments for the advisory committee
• Definition of duties, powers, and official name of the proposed committee

The Board of Commissioners voted to create an adhoc committee to define the goals and membership for a future Interpreting Advisory Committee. The board then moved into a committee of the whole to discuss the purpose, membership criteria, and duties of the proposed advisory group.

• Approved October 30, 2025 agenda (Unanimous)
• Voted to create an adhoc committee to define objectives and membership for the Interpreting Advisory Committee
• Approved motion to move into Committee as a whole to discuss advisory committee details (Unanimous)
• Approved motion to close the Committee as a whole (Unanimous)

Commission for the Deaf

The Commission for the Deaf will review updates on sign language interpreter rulemaking and the FY27-29 strategic plan. The board will also discuss requests for information regarding mentorship programs and regional support centers.

• Proposed Rules for Sign Language Interpreters status update
• Strategic Plan for FY27-29 via Innivee Strategies
• Interpreter Mentorship Program information request
• Regional Support Centers for the Deaf information request
• Vacancies for Deaf and hard of hearing representatives

The Commission approved the minimum and preferred qualifications and salary for the Executive Director position. The board also voted to change the title of the current interim director to Acting Executive Director. Additionally, the 2026 meeting schedule was approved.

• Approved minimum qualifications for Executive Director
• Approved preferred qualifications for Executive Director, substituting 'Master's degree' with 'advanced degree'
• Approved salary qualifications for Executive Director
• Approved changing title from 'Interim Executive Director' to 'Acting Executive Director'
• Approved 2026 meeting dates: Jan 16, Apr 17, July 17, and Oct 16
• Approved January 17, 2025 minutes
• Approved February 21, 2025 special meeting minutes with corrections
• Deferred July 11, 2025 minutes approval to the next meeting

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf board meets quarterly to guide programs for d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing residents. Key items include a vote for vice chair, an update on proposed rules for ASL interpreters, and discussion of sub-committees. The board also has vacancies for a Deaf and a hard of hearing representative.

• Vote for Vice Chair
• Proposed Rules for American Sign Language Interpreters – Notice of Intent Update
• LCD Sub-Committees – creation and updates
• Executive Director for LCD – leadership structure and job description review
• Board vacancies for Deaf and hard of hearing representatives

The Commission voted to request that the Executive Director position be changed to an unclassified state government position. The board also established new committees for bylaws and interpreter advisory goals and approved training and research for DeafBlind services.

• Requested Department of Health and Civil Service Commission change Executive Director to an unclassified position (None Opposed)
• Nominated and approved Sherry Crosby as Vice Chair (None Opposed)
• Approved proposal for training in DeafBlind awareness, self-advocacy, and conflict resolution (None Opposed)
• Approved investment in research and surveys regarding terminology for DeafBlind providers and protactile training (None Opposed)
• Created ad hoc committee to determine objectives and membership for a future Interpreter Advisory Committee (None Opposed)
• Established a bylaw committee to draft new board bylaws (None Opposed)
• Approved the meeting agenda (None Opposed)
• Deferred approval of previous minutes due to typos (None Opposed)

Commission for the Deaf

The scheduled meeting for the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf on April 25, 2025, has been cancelled. No other agenda items were provided.

Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf board will receive recommendations on proposed rules for American Sign Language interpreters working in general settings. The board also has vacancies for a Deaf and a hard of hearing representative. The meeting includes public comment periods and approval of previous minutes.

• Proposed rules for LCD Administrative Code for American Sign Language Interpreters Working in General Settings
• Vacancies for a Deaf and a hard of hearing representative on the LCD Board
• Mandate review of the commission's statutory authority
• Public comment periods at the beginning and end of the meeting

The Commission reviewed and approved a series of slides outlining proposed rules for American Sign Language interpreters in K-12 settings. The board made specific amendments to education requirements and supervision protocols before approving the standards.

• Approved slide 6 as written
• Approved slide 8 (proof of good standing) as written
• Approved slide 9 (provisional generalist registration) as written
• Approved slides 10, 11, and 12 with amended education language
• Approved slide 14 as written
• Approved slides 16 and 18 as written
• Added temporary permits to the second slide
• Added a requirement for regular interval check-ins with supervisors to slide 17

Commission for the Deaf

The Commission for the Deaf will review recommendations for proposed rules regarding American Sign Language interpreters in K-12 education and general settings. The board will also discuss the timeline for submitting regulations for interpreter minimum standards.

• Proposed rules for ASL interpreters in K-12 education settings
• Proposed rules for LCD Administrative Code for ASL interpreters in general settings
• Notice of Intent regarding the timeline for submission of ASL interpreter minimum standards

The committee approved moving the Educational Interpreter Administrative Code to the full Commission. Members discussed alternative certification pathways for educational interpreters but did not reach a consensus. The effective date of new rules depends on whether the Department of Education or the LCD holds property rights to certificates.

• Approved October 25, 2023 agenda (unanimous)
• Approved October 4, 2023 minutes
• Approved October 18, 2023 minutes
• Moved Educational Interpreter Administrative Code to Committee as a whole (unanimous)
• Failed to reach consensus on alternative pathway for Qualified Interpreter in an Educational Setting Certificate