Free sign language interpreters for council meetings

(a) Except as provided under subsection (b), the council shall make available qualified interpretive services for a deaf or hard-of-hearing person requesting the services to personally attend a council or committee meeting and understand or participate in the proceedings. The council shall make the services available at no charge to the requesting deaf or hard-of-hearing person. (b) The council shall not be required to make available qualified interpretive services for a deaf or hard-of-hearing person at a council or committee meeting when: (1) A qualified interpreter cannot be retained for the deaf or hard-of-hearing person after reasonable effort by the council; (2) The request for qualified interpretive services is not made before a deadline established by the council chair for a council meeting or a committee chair for a committee meeting; or (3) The cost of the qualified interpretive services would place an undue financial burden on the council, as determined and justified in writing by the council chair. (c) This section shall not be construed as requiring the council to pay for the services of a qualified interpreter retained without the appropriate council approval. The council shall have no responsibility or liability for those services.