Bill > S606

This bill aims to enhance language accessibility and cultural inclusivity in North Carolina across multiple government sectors. In the motor vehicle division, the bill mandates that driver's license materials and tests be available in 25 languages, including Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, Korean, and several indigenous languages like Cherokee and Karen. For public schools, the bill requires all parent-related documents to be translated into the same 25 languages and encourages schools to provide interpretation services for parent-teacher conferences. The legislation also introduces more flexibility for teachers and students regarding religious holiday observances, allowing teachers to take personal leave for religious holidays and students to receive excused absences for religious observances. Additionally, the bill expands the state's official holiday list by adding several cultural and religious holidays like Lunar New Year, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, and Rosh Hashanah, while removing Confederate-related holidays. In the healthcare sector, the bill encourages state-funded healthcare providers to offer multilingual staff or interpreter services and requires the Department of Health and Human Services to translate critical health forms and information into the same 25 languages. The bill is accompanied by modest appropriations to support translation and implementation efforts, with most provisions becoming effective in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S606