Health Licensing Office publishes FAQs for sign language interpreter educational, legal and medical licenses

Oregon Health Authority sent this update at 10/09/2025 04:04 PM PDT

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Oct. 9, 2025

Media contact: Erica Heartquist, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov

Salem, OR — During the 2025 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 950 (2025) was passed and signed into law by Governor Kotek May 28, 2025.

The new law repeals the sign language interpreter (SLI) educational, legal and medical licenses, effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Under the law, SLI educational, legal or medical licenses issued between June 8, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2025, will remain valid until Jan. 1, 2029.

This provision allows current license holders three additional years to continue practicing.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the Health Licensing Office (HLO) will no longer issue or renew SLI educational, legal or medical licenses.

To support license holders and the public in understanding these changes, HLO has published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

News regarding the Board of Sign Language Interpreters can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact: Josh Page at josh.page@oha.oregon.gov, or by calling (503) 934-0720

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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority programs and services. Some examples of the free help we can provide include sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, Braille, large print, audio, and other formats. If you need help or have questions, please contact us.