Senate Bill 295 proposes amendments to existing statutes regarding the use of artificial intelligence and machine-assisted translation in court proceedings. The bill allows courts to permit the use of such technology in civil and criminal cases, as well as in municipal and administrative contested case proceedings. Specifically, it creates new provisions that enable the use of artificial intelligence or machine-assisted translation in lieu of or in addition to human interpreters, thereby expanding the options available for language assistance in legal contexts.

Additionally, the bill modifies the current law concerning the use of interpreters in criminal proceedings. It removes the restriction that previously limited the use of interpreters by telephone or live audiovisual means to non-trial criminal proceedings, now allowing this method to be used during trials as well. The bill also includes provisions that clarify the use of artificial intelligence in municipal courts and ensures that such use does not require a waiver under existing regulations.