The Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services shall maintain a legal interpreting fund, which must be available to reimburse private attorneys and advocates for the cost of interpreting services or CART that assists the attorney or advocate in effectively representing clients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.__This fund may not be used to cover interpreting services or CART for actual proceedings pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph A.

5.__Privileged communication.__Except when a court in the exercise of sound discretion determines the disclosure necessary to the proper administration of justice, a privileged interpreter may not disclose any aspect of a confidential communication facilitated by that interpreter unless all clients of the privileged interpreter privy to that communication consent to the disclosure.

6. Oath.__Every appointed interpreter shall, before performing the interpreter's duties, take an oath that the interpreter will make a true interpretation in an understandable manner to the person for whom the interpreter is appointed, and that the interpreter will repeat the statements of the person in the English language to the best of the interpreter's skill and judgment.

7.__Provide information.__The Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Deafness shall provide information to the public, including state agencies and individuals who work with interpreters, regarding the licensure requirements provided under Title 32, section 1524-C.

Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §1523, as amended by PL 1999, c. 399, §9 and affected by §20, is further amended to read:

§1523. Privileged communication

Individuals licensed under this chapter are included under the evidentiary communications privilege outlined in Title 5, section 48 48-A, subsection 4 5.

Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §1524-C is enacted to read:

§1524-C.__Qualifications to interpret in legal settings