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NRS 449.145

Health facility prohibited from using certain persons as interpreters; exceptions

Known as the Nevada Health Facilities Assistance Act

The act spans §§ 449–449 (272 sections).

(Added to NRS by 2025, 1067)

1. A health facility shall not:

(a) Require a person with limited English proficiency to provide his or her own interpreter or pay the cost of an interpreter;

(b) Utilize an adult who is not qualified as an interpreter pursuant to NRS 449.147 to interpret or facilitate communication for a person with limited English proficiency except where authorized pursuant to subsection 2 or 3;

(c) Utilize a child who is less than 18 years of age to interpret or facilitate communication for a person with limited English proficiency except where authorized pursuant to subsection 2; or

(d) Utilize an employee, a contractor or a volunteer of the health facility who is not an interpreter or a translator qualified pursuant to NRS 449.147 to interpret or facilitate communication for a person with limited English proficiency.

2. A health facility may utilize an adult who is not qualified as an interpreter pursuant to NRS 449.147 or a child who is less than 18 years of age to interpret or facilitate communication for a person with limited English proficiency on a temporary, emergency basis if:

(a) There is an imminent threat to the safety or welfare of any person or the public;

(b) An interpreter who is qualified pursuant to NRS 449.147 is not immediately available;

(c) The health facility is attempting to find an interpreter who is qualified pursuant to NRS 449.147; and

(d) An interpreter who is qualified pursuant to NRS 449.147 later confirms or supplements the initial communications with the interpreter utilized pursuant to this section.

3. A health facility may utilize an adult who is not qualified as an interpreter pursuant to NRS 449.147 to interpret or facilitate communication for a person with limited English proficiency if the person with limited English proficiency requests for the adult to interpret or facilitate communication for him or her. Such a request must be:

(a) Made without the adult present to an interpreter who is qualified pursuant to NRS 449.147;

(b) Agreed to by the adult;

(c) Documented in the record of the person with limited English proficiency; and

(d) Deemed appropriate under the circumstances by the person providing the program or service on behalf of the health facility.

Official source: Nevada Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Nevada statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.