What's happening
This bill requires New York state agencies to provide language access services for individuals with limited English proficiency to ensure equal access to public services.
Why it matters
Ensures meaningful participation in government services. By requiring state agencies to provide oral interpretation and translated vital documents, the bill helps individuals with limited English proficiency access, understand, and benefit from essential public services at the same level as English speakers.
Targets services to significant language communities. Agencies must translate documents into any language spoken by at least 3% of the local population they serve, ensuring resources are focused where language barriers are most significant, based on U.S. Census data.
Phased implementation and agency accountability. The bill establishes a timeline for compliance, prioritizing departments like Labor, Health, and Children and Family Services, and requires each agency to adopt clear regulations and receive technical support to meet these standards.
Excludes certain professional documents from translation requirements. Applications and examinations for business and professional licensure are not subject to the translation mandate, focusing resources on documents most critical for access to public services.
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Who cares
Residents with limited English proficiency
The bill would require state departments to take reasonable steps to give them equal access to public services, including oral language services and translated vital documents.
State agencies and their local offices
They would need in-house oral language services when contact with limited-English-proficient individuals occurs at least weekly and translations for languages meeting the local three-percent population threshold.
Department of Labor, Department of Health and Office of Children and Family Services
They would face the earliest full implementation deadline, January 1, 2018, and would need to adopt regulations at least six months beforehand.
Office of the Attorney General
It would be consulted on central coordination and technical assistance to help departments and agencies comply.
Headline styles
Translate State Services
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 40
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Translate State Services
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1788
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 13, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. KIM -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the access to public services for non-English speakers act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known as the "Access to Public Services for Non-English Speakers Act".
§ 2. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds and declares that:
1. thousands of residents cannot access the public services provided by state departments, agencies and programs because of their inability or limited ability to speak, understand or read the English language; and
2. non-English speakers must have access to these important state programs.
The purpose of this act is to provide individuals with limited English proficiency equal access to state departments, agencies and programs.
§ 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 14-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE 14-A
ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS ACT Section 280. Definitions.
281. Language access required.
282. Schedule implementation.
§ 280. Definitions. For purposes of this article, the following words shall mean the following:
1. "Equal access" means to be informed of, participate in, and benefit from public services offered by a state department, agency, or program, at a level equal to English proficient individuals.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05194-01-7
A. 1788 2
2. "Limited English proficiency" means the inability to adequately understand or express oneself in the spoken or written English language.
3. "Oral language services" includes various methods to provide verbal information and interpretations such as staff interpreters, bilingual staff, telephone interpreter programs, and private interpreter programs.
4. "Vital documents" means applications or informational materials, notices and complaint forms offered by state departments, agencies and programs. "Vital documents" does not include applications and examinations related to the licensure, certification or registration of businesses and professionals.
§ 281. Language access required. 1. Each state department shall take reasonable steps to provide equal access to public services for individuals with limited English proficiency.
2. Reasonable steps to provide equal access to public services include:
(a) In-house oral language services for individuals with limited English proficiency, if contact between any agency and individuals with limited English proficiency is on a weekly or more frequent basis.
(b) The translation of vital documents ordinarily provided to the public into any language spoken by any limited English proficient population that constitutes at least three percent of the overall population within the geographic area served by a local office of a state agency, as measured by the U.S. Census.
(c) Any additional methods or means necessary to achieve equal access to public services.
3. Each state department shall adopt regulations regarding the requirements of this article at least six months prior to the date of full implementation for that department.
4. The department, in consultation with the office of the attorney general, shall provide central coordination and technical assistance to departments and agencies to help them comply with this article.
§ 282. Schedule implementation. The provisions of this article shall be fully implemented according to the following schedule:
1. The department of labor, the department of health and the office of children and family services on or before January first, two thousand eighteen.
2. The department of correctional services and the department of transportation and the office for the aging on or before January first, two thousand nineteen.
3. All other departments or agencies on or before January first, two thousand twenty.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.