Bill > AB667

This bill requires boards under the California Department of Consumer Affairs to modify their license applications and collect language preference data for applicants. Specifically, by January 1, 2027, each board must add a section to license applications allowing applicants to identify their preferred written, spoken, and signed languages. Starting July 1, 2027, boards will conduct annual reviews of this language preference data and determine if there is a "substantial number of non-English-speaking applicants" (defined as applicants who do not speak English or cannot effectively communicate in English, comprising at least 5% of total applicants). By January 1, 2028, boards must report their findings to the Legislature, and beginning January 1, 2029, they must annually report language preference data to the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee and the Assembly Business and Professions Committee. An "interpreter" is defined as someone fluent in English and another language who can accurately translate or sign. The reporting requirements are set to become inoperative on January 1, 2030 and January 1, 2033, respectively, which suggests these are temporary data collection and assessment measures designed to understand language needs among professional license applicants.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB667