Bill > HR7223

This bill, the "Language Access for All Act of 2026," aims to significantly improve how federal agencies serve individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP), meaning people for whom English is not their primary language and who have difficulty understanding or communicating in English. The core provisions require federal agencies to ensure "meaningful access" to their programs and activities, which means providing communication that is accurate, timely, effective, and free of charge, comparable to what English-proficient individuals receive. To achieve this, agencies must translate vital documents—those critical for accessing services or understanding rights—into frequently encountered and dominant languages based on U.S. Census data, and also incorporate multilingual functionality into their digital systems. Furthermore, agencies must provide oral interpretation services, including remote options, and can recognize bilingual staff who have been assessed and qualified as an alternative to professional interpreters, acknowledging that this can sometimes be faster and more cost-effective. Agencies will also need to notify the public about the availability of these language assistance services through various means, and train their employees who interact with the public on these new policies. A key component is the establishment of a public complaint system managed by the Attorney General, where individuals can report barriers to access, and agencies will have 60 days to respond to these complaints, with the Attorney General publishing an annual report summarizing these issues. Each agency must develop a practical and effective "language access plan" that identifies populations with LEP likely to seek services, describes how multilingual communications will be provided, and includes procedures for monitoring and improving their language access efforts, with these plans subject to public comment and submitted to Congress and the Attorney General. The bill also mandates the creation of "Language Access Technical Standards" to guide agencies in providing accessible digital content, ensuring functionality and timeliness, and using user-friendly interfaces, with a process for agencies to request waivers if compliance would pose an "undue burden," though such waivers expire after two years. Crucially, the bill addresses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated language services, stating that AI cannot fully replace qualified human translators or interpreters, and any AI-generated translations must be verified by a human, publicly disclose data sources and limitations, comply with privacy laws, be tested for bias, and undergo regular audits by agency Inspectors General. Finally, the bill establishes a Language Access Coordinator position within each agency to oversee these efforts and creates an Interagency Language Access Standards Council and a Language Access Working Group, led by the Attorney General, to coordinate best practices and provide support. Noncompliance with these requirements will be treated as discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, allowing for enforcement actions by the Department of Justice.