The Constitution of Finland (731/1999)
§ Section 17
… The rights of persons using Sign Language and of persons in need of interpretation or translation aid owing to disability shall be guaranteed by an Act.
Law on basic education (628/1998)
§ Section 10, subsect. 1
The language of instruction and the language used in extracurricular teaching shall be either Finnish or Swedish. The language of instruction may also be Sami, Romany or Sign Language.
subsect. 2
… Pupils with impaired hearing must be given teaching in Sign Language, when needed.
§ Section 12, subsect. 2
As mother tongue, the pupil may also be taught the Romany language, the Sign Language or some other language which is the pupil’s native language.
Law on upper secondary school (629/1998)
§ Section 6, subsect. 1
The language of instruction in the upper secondary school is either Finnish or Swedish. The Sami, Romany or the Sign Language can also be used as a language of instruction…
§ Section 8, subsect 2
On the basis of the student’s choice, also the Romany language, the Sign Language or other mother tongue of the student can be taught as a mother tongue.
Law on vocational education (630/1998)
§ Section 11, subsect. 1
In vocational education, the language of instruction is either Finnish or Swedish. The Sami, Romany or the Sign Language can also be used as languages of instruction…
§ Section 12, subsect. 3
On the basis of the student’s choice, also the Romany language, the Sign Language or other mother tongue of the student can be taught as a mother tongue.
Law on the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland (591/1996)
§ Section 1, subsect. 2
Among the duties of the Research Institute is also to take care of research and the preservation of the purity of the Sign Language and the Romany language.
Decree on the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland (758/1996)
§ Section 1
The duties of the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland include:
1) studying Finnish and Swedish, Sami (Lappish) and other related languages as well as the Finnish Sign Language and the Romany language;
2) developing and preserving the purity of Finnish, Swedish, Sami (Lappish) and the Finnish Sign Language and the Romany language;
§ Section 9
The expertise organs for the Research Institute are the Boards for the Finnish, Swedish and Sami languages and the Boards for the Sign Language and the Romany language. The Board of Directors invites to each Board for a period of three years at a time at least four and at most seven members, one of which belongs to the personnel of the Research Institute. The Board of Directors appoints each Board a President and a Vice-President from among the members of the Board.
The task of the Board is to decide upon recommendations of principal or general nature in its field.
Language Act (423/2003)
§ Section 37 – Report on the application of language legislation
1) Each electoral period the Government reports to the Parliament, as supplemental material to the Report on Governmental Measures, on the application of language legislation and on the securing of linguistic right and, as necessary, on other linguistic conditions.
2) The report deals not only with Finnish and Swedish but also with at least Sami, Romany and Sign language.
Act on Yleisradio Oy (746/1998)
§ Section 7
4) …to treat in its broadcasting Finnish and Swedish speaking citizens on equal grounds and to produce services in the Sami and Romany languages and in Sign Language as well as, where applicable, also for other language groups in the country;
Services and Assistance for the Disabled Act (380/1987)
§ Section 8
… The municipality shall provide severely disabled persons with reasonable… interpretation services… if, because of his disability or illness, he must of necessity have assistance in order to manage his everyday affairs.
§ Section 14
No charge shall be made for… the interpretation services…
Support and Assistance for the Disabled Decree (759/1987)
§ Section 7
Interpretation services comprise all interpretation in Sign Language or other methods for clarifying communication needed for work, studies, social participation, recreation or any other corresponding purposes.
§ Section 8
In agreement of interpretation services, a person shall be considered severely disabled if he is severely disabled aurally, aurally and visually, or he has a severe speech defect.
§ Section 9
Interpretation services shall be arranged so that a severely aurally and visually disabled person has the possibility of receiving at least 240 and any other person referred to in section 8 at least 120 hours of interpretation services during a calendar year.
However, as an exception to the provision of paragraph 1, interpretation services related to studies shall be arranged to the extent needed by the person concerned for coping with his studies.
Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (785/1992)
§ Section 3
The mother tongue, individual needs and culture of the patient have to be taken into account as far as possible in his/her medical care and other treatment.
Law on the position and rights of the social welfare client (812/2000)
§ Section 4
…When executing social welfare, the wishes, opinions, interests and individual needs as well as the mother tongue and cultural background of the client must be taken into account.
Amendment to the law on pre-trial investigation (427/2003)
§ Section 37, subsect. 3
Other than a Finnish, Swedish or Sami speaking person to be heard in a pre-trial investigation has the right to an interpreter free of charge, unless the authority responsible for the pre-trial investigation provides the interpretation services. The authority is obliged to provide interpretation if need arises. As needed, interpretation services shall be provided correspondingly if the person to be heard suffers from a sensory handicap or a speech defect.
Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003)
§ Section 26
The authority shall arrange for interpretation and translation in a matter that can become pending on the initiative of the authority, if:
1) a party using the Romany language, Sign language or another language does not know the language, Finnish or Swedish, used in the authority; or
2) a person who owing to a handicap or illness cannot be understood.
Nationality Act (359/2003)
§ Section 13 - General requirements for naturalization
6) he or she has satisfactory oral and written skills in the Finnish or Swedish language, or instead of oral skills similar skills in the Finnish Sign language (language skills requirement).