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NJ A2011

NJ A2011
Requires Commissioners of DOH and DHS to perform language needs assessment.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

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.

AI Summary

This bill mandates that the Commissioners of Health and Human Services must conduct a "language needs assessment" for all offices and programs within their departments, which involves gathering information about the different language groups in their service areas, including those who are new, how often they use services, who requests materials in languages other than English, who might need materials but doesn't ask, and who isn't accessing services at all, to identify significant unmet needs for non-English materials and necessary outreach. Following this assessment, each Commissioner will analyze the results to prepare for a joint request for proposals (RFP) for a translation service that will serve both departments and provide translated materials into languages other than English for any communities with identified significant language needs, with the Commissioners also required to adopt rules and regulations to implement these provisions within 180 days of the bill's effective date.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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