49-4-502. Definitions. As used in this part, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Appointing authority" means the presiding judge or justice of any court, the presiding officer of any board, commission, or authority, the director or commissioner of any department or agency, or any other person presiding at any hearing or other proceeding in which a qualified interpreter is required pursuant to this part.

(2) "Deaf person" means a person whose hearing is totally impaired or whose hearing is so seriously impaired as to prohibit the person from understanding oral communications. The term further includes but is not limited to a person who, because of loss of hearing, cannot communicate spoken language.

(3) "Intermediary interpreter" means a knowledgeable deaf person who, because of the person's intimate acquaintance with deaf persons who use mainly natural gestures for communicating, can be used as an intermediary between the deaf person and a qualified interpreter.

(4) "Principal party in interest" means a person who is a named party in any proceeding or who will be directly affected by the decision or action that may be made or taken.

(5) "Qualified interpreter" means an interpreter listed by the department of public health and human services as provided in 49-4-507.