Bill > S1663

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Commissioners of Health and Human Services to perform a language needs assessment for all offices and programs in their respective departments. The language needs assessment is to include, but not be limited to, questions concerning the linguistic groups found in the office or program's service area; new linguistic groups entering the office or program's service area; the frequency with which certain linguistic groups in the service area utilize the office or program; the linguistic groups that most often request materials from the office or program in languages other than English; the linguistic groups that may be in need of materials from the office or program in languages other than English but who do not request those materials; the linguistic groups in the service area that do not access services in the office or program; the significant unmet needs for providing materials in languages other than English; the outreach activities that need to occur to ensure that certain linguistic groups know that materials in languages other than English are either available, or can be made available once a significant unmet language need is identified. The bill provides that the Commissioners of Health and Human Services would analyze the results of the language needs assessment in order to prepare a joint request for proposals for a translation service to serve both departments, and translate materials into languages other than English for any linguistic communities served by their offices or programs that present a significant unmet language need.

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Linda Greenstein (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 02/13/2020)