NY State Assembly Bill 2023-A503A

Current Bill Status - Stricken

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 05, 2023	enacting clause stricken
Mar 09, 2023	print number 503a
Mar 09, 2023	amend and recommit to governmental operations
Jan 09, 2023	referred to governmental operations

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

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2023-A503 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:: S3381
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §202-a, Exec L; add Art 9 Title 13 §§2988 & 2988-a, Pub Auth L; add Art 24-A §§950 & 951, County L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: A7428, S5236

2023-A503 - Summary

Requires certain documents and forms to be provided in the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by limited English proficient immigrants of five years or less according to the American community survey, as published by the United States census bureau.

2023-A503 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    503
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. JOYNER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the executive law, the public authorities law and the
   county law, in relation to requiring certain documents and forms to be
   provided in multiple languages

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings  and intent. The legislature hereby
 finds that as New York's immigrant population continues to grow, inabil-
 ity to access documents translated into languages that community members
 read and lack of interpretation of  government  services  and  resources
 into  languages  that  community members speak are major barriers to the
 advancement of the  state's  immigrant  population.  However,  currently
 language  access  in  New  York  is  based  on  an Executive Order which
 mandates translation into the  same  ten  languages  across  the  entire
 state, failing to account for significant differences in immigrant popu-
 lations across New York's regions. Translation is also only mandatory in
 a handful of executive specific agencies, instead of across all subdivi-
 sions  of state and county government. The legislature believes language
 access improves the lives of immigrants by increasing opportunities  for
 employment,  business  ownership, and other vital services, while making
 staff time at state agencies and authorities more efficient,  benefiting
 all of New York.
   § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 49-C to read
 as follows:
                               ARTICLE 49-C
                              LANGUAGE ACCESS
 SECTION 996. LANGUAGE ACCESS.
         996-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
   §  996.  LANGUAGE  ACCESS.  1.  EACH STATE AGENCY THAT PROVIDES DIRECT
 PUBLIC SERVICES SHALL TRANSLATE  VITAL  DOCUMENTS,  INCLUDING  ESSENTIAL

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02785-01-3

 A. 503                              2
 
 PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED
 BY  PROGRAM  BENEFICIARIES  OR  PARTICIPANTS.  SUCH TRANSLATION SHALL BE
 AVAILABLE IN THE TWELVE MOST  COMMON  NON-ENGLISH  LANGUAGES  SPOKEN  BY
 LIMITED  ENGLISH  PROFICIENT  IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE WHO ARRIVED WITHIN
 THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING  TO  THE  AMERICAN  COMMUNITY  SURVEY,  AS
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   2.  EACH  SUCH AGENCY SHALL ADDITIONALLY MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS AVAIL-
 ABLE WITHIN EACH REGION OF THE STATE, AS ESTABLISHED BY  ARTICLE  ELEVEN
 OF  THE  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH
 LANGUAGES WHICH ARE SPOKEN IN THAT REGION BY LIMITED ENGLISH  PROFICIENT
 IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO THE AMER-
 ICAN  COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU,
 WHICH ARE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED AMONG THE TWELVE LANGUAGES  SPECIFIED  IN
 SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE LIST OF MOST COMMON LANGUAGES SHALL BE UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS,
 BASED ON THE MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA, AS PUBLISHED BY
 THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   4. EACH AGENCY SHALL PROVIDE INTERPRETATION SERVICES BETWEEN THE AGEN-
 CY  AND AN INDIVIDUAL IN THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE, INCLUDING AMERICAN SIGN
 LANGUAGE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS.
   5. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS  SECTION,  EACH
 AGENCY  SHALL PUBLICLY PUBLISH A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WHICH REFLECTS HOW
 THE AGENCY WILL COMPLY WITH THE LANGUAGE  ACCESS  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS
 SECTION, AND SHALL SET FORTH, AT A MINIMUM:
   (A) CORE COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE IN THE LIMIT-
 ED ENGLISH PROFICIENT COMMUNITY;
   (B)  WHEN  AND  BY  WHAT  MEANS  THE AGENCY WILL PROVIDE OR IS ALREADY
 PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES;
   (C) THE TITLES OF ALL AVAILABLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS AND THE LANGUAGES
 INTO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED;
   (D) THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC CONTACT  POSITIONS  IN  THE  AGENCY  AND  THE
 NUMBER  OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS INCLUDING THE
 LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK;
   (E) A TRAINING PLAN FOR AGENCY EMPLOYEES WHICH INCLUDES, AT A MINIMUM,
 ANNUAL TRAINING ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES OF THE AGENCY AND HOW TO
 PROVIDE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   (F) A PLAN OF HOW THE AGENCY  INTENDS  TO  NOTIFY  THE  POPULATION  OF
 OFFERED LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   (G) A LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR AT THE AGENCY, WHO SHALL BE PUBLICLY
 IDENTIFIED;
   (H)  A  PHONE  NUMBER  OR  EMAIL ADDRESS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN LODGE
 COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE AGENCY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. SUCH  COMPLAINTS  SHALL
 BE KEPT FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS; AND
   (I)  MAKE PUBLIC THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DURING A TWELVE MONTH PERIOD
 AGAINST NONCOMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTIONS TO SUCH COMPLAINTS.
   § 996-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. ANY PERSON INJURED BY  NONCOMPLIANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO RECOVER ACTU-
 AL DAMAGES SUFFERED. IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT
 MAY AWARD REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES TO A PREVAILING PLAINTIFF.
   §  3.  Article  9 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
 new title 13 to read as follows:
                                 TITLE 13
                              LANGUAGE ACCESS
 SECTION 2988. LANGUAGE ACCESS.
         2988-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
 A. 503                              3
 
   § 2988. LANGUAGE ACCESS. 1. EACH STATE AUTHORITY THAT PROVIDES  DIRECT
 PUBLIC  SERVICES  SHALL  TRANSLATE  VITAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ESSENTIAL
 PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED
 BY PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES  OR  PARTICIPANTS.  THE  TRANSLATION  SHALL  BE
 AVAILABLE  IN  THE  TWELVE  MOST  COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY
 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE  WHO  ARRIVED  WITHIN
 THE  LAST  FIVE  YEARS  ACCORDING  TO  THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   2. EACH SUCH AUTHORITY SHALL MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS  AVAILABLE  WITHIN
 EACH  REGION  OF  THE  STATE,  AS  ESTABLISHED  BY ARTICLE ELEVEN OF THE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES
 WHICH ARE SPOKEN IN THAT REGION BY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS
 WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN  COMMU-
 NITY  SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, WHICH ARE
 NOT ALREADY INCLUDED AMONG THE TWELVE LANGUAGES SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION
 ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE LIST OF MOST COMMON LANGUAGES SHALL BE  UPDATED  NO  LESS  THAN
 EVERY  TWO  YEARS  FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, BASED ON THE
 MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU.
   4. EACH SUCH AUTHORITY SHALL PROVIDE INTERPRETATION  SERVICES  BETWEEN
 THE  AGENCY  AND AN INDIVIDUAL IN HIS OR HER PRIMARY LANGUAGE, INCLUDING
 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, WITH RESPECT TO THE  PROVISION  OF  SERVICES  OR
 BENEFITS.   THIS INCLUDES BOTH IN-OFFICE SERVICES, AND SERVICES PROVIDED
 OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY OFFICE. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO,  THE
 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, AND THE ADMINISTERING OF ROAD TESTS.
   5. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, EACH SUCH
 AUTHORITY  SHALL  PUBLISH  A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WHICH REFLECTS HOW THE
 AUTHORITY WILL COMPLY WITH THE LANGUAGE ACCESS REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT  TO
 THIS SECTION, AND SHALL SET FORTH, AT A MINIMUM:
   A. CORE COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE IN THE LIMITED
 ENGLISH PROFICIENT COMMUNITY;
   B.  WHEN  AND  BY  WHAT MEANS THE AUTHORITY WILL PROVIDE OR IS ALREADY
 PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES;
   C. THE TITLES OF ALL AVAILABLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS AND THE  LANGUAGES
 INTO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED;
   D.  THE  NUMBER  OF  PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS IN THE AUTHORITY AND THE
 NUMBER OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS INCLUDING  THE
 LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK;
   E.  A TRAINING PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES WHICH INCLUDES, AT A MINIMUM, ANNUAL
 TRAINING ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES OF THE  AUTHORITY  AND  HOW  TO
 PROVIDE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   F.  A  PLAN  OF  HOW THE AUTHORITY INTENDS TO NOTIFY THE POPULATION OF
 OFFERED LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   G. A LANGUAGE ACCESS  COORDINATOR  AT  THE  AUTHORITY,  WHO  SHALL  BE
 PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED;
   H.  A  PHONE  NUMBER  OR  EMAIL  ADDRESS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN LODGE
 COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE AGENCY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. SUCH  COMPLAINTS  SHALL
 BE KEPT FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS; AND
   I.  MAKE  PUBLIC THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DURING A TWELVE MONTH PERIOD
 AGAINST NONCOMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTIONS TO SUCH COMPLAINTS.
   § 2988-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. ANY PERSON INJURED BY NONCOMPLIANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO RECOVER ACTU-
 AL DAMAGES SUFFERED. IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT
 MAY AWARD REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES TO A PREVAILING PLAINTIFF.
 A. 503                              4
 
   § 4. The county law is amended by adding a new article 24-A to read as
 follows:
                               ARTICLE 24-A
                              LANGUAGE ACCESS
 SECTION 950. LANGUAGE ACCESS.
         951. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
   §  950.  LANGUAGE  ACCESS.  1. EVERY POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY THAT
 PROVIDES DIRECT PUBLIC SERVICES SHALL TRANSLATE VITAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUD-
 ING ESSENTIAL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS FORMS AND  INSTRUCTIONS  PROVIDED
 TO  OR  COMPLETED  BY  PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES OR PARTICIPANTS. THE TRANS-
 LATION  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  IN  THE  TWELVE  MOST  COMMON  NON-ENGLISH
 LANGUAGES  SPOKEN  BY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE
 WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN  COMMU-
 NITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   2. EACH SUCH POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS
 AVAILABLE  WITHIN  EACH  REGION  OF THE STATE, AS ESTABLISHED BY ARTICLE
 ELEVEN OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE  MOST  COMMON  NON-
 ENGLISH  LANGUAGES  WHICH  ARE  SPOKEN IN THAT REGION BY LIMITED ENGLISH
 PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE  YEARS  ACCORDING
 TO  THE  AMERICAN  COMMUNITY  SURVEY,  AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU, WHICH ARE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED AMONG THE TWELVE LANGUAGES
 SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS  SECTION,
 A  COUNTY MAY ADD ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES AS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE LOCAL
 VARIANCES FROM STATEWIDE LANGUAGES, PROVIDED SUCH  LANGUAGES  ARE  ADDED
 AFTER PUBLIC NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
   4.  THE  LIST  OF  MOST COMMON LANGUAGES SHALL BE UPDATED NO LESS THAN
 EVERY TWO YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION,  BASED  ON  THE
 MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS  BUREAU, AND ANY ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES SUCH COUNTY SHALL CHOOSE TO
 SELECT.
   5. EACH SUCH POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL PROVIDE INTERPRETATION
 SERVICES BETWEEN THE ENTITY AND AN INDIVIDUAL  IN  HIS  OR  HER  PRIMARY
 LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS.
   6. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, EACH SUCH
 POLITICAL  ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL PUBLISH A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WHICH
 REFLECTS HOW THE POLITICAL ENTITY WILL COMPLY WITH THE  LANGUAGE  ACCESS
 REQUIREMENTS  PURSUANT  TO THIS SECTION, AND SHALL SET FORTH, AT A MINI-
 MUM:
   (A) CORE COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE IN THE LIMIT-
 ED ENGLISH PROFICIENT COMMUNITY;
   (B) WHEN AND BY WHAT MEANS THE POLITICAL ENTITY SHALL  PROVIDE  OR  IS
 ALREADY PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES;
   (C) THE TITLES OF ALL AVAILABLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS AND THE LANGUAGES
 INTO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED;
   (D) THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS IN THE POLITICAL ENTITY AND
 THE  NUMBER OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS INCLUDING
 THE LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK;
   (E) A TRAINING PLAN FOR  EMPLOYEES  OF  THE  POLITICAL  ENTITY,  WHICH
 INCLUDES,  AT A MINIMUM, ANNUAL TRAINING ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES
 OF THE POLITICAL ENTITY AND HOW TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   (F) A PLAN OF HOW THE POLITICAL ENTITY INTENDS  TO  NOTIFY  THE  POPU-
 LATION OF OFFERED LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES; AND
   (G)  A  LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR AT THE POLITICAL ENTITY, WHO SHALL
 BE PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED.
 A. 503                              5
 
   § 951. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. ANY PERSON  INJURED  BY  NONCOMPLIANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO RECOVER ACTU-
 AL DAMAGES SUFFERED. IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT
 MAY AWARD REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES TO A PREVAILING PLAINTIFF.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.

co-Sponsors

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2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:: S3381
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §202-a, Exec L; add Art 9 Title 13 §§2988 & 2988-a, Pub Auth L; add Art 24-A §§950 & 951, County L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: A7428, S5236

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  503--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. JOYNER, KELLES, SHIMSKY, CRUZ, COLTON, ALVAREZ,
   EPSTEIN, STIRPE, REYES, SAYEGH, FORREST, TAYLOR, WALKER --  read  once
   and  referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the executive law, the public authorities  law  and  the
   county law, in relation to requiring certain documents and forms to be
   provided in multiple languages
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 202-a of  the  executive  law,  as
 added  by  section  1  of  part GG of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. (A) Each state agency that provides direct public services  in  New
 York  state  shall  translate  all  vital documents relevant to services
 offered by the agency, INCLUDING  ESSENTIAL  PUBLIC  DOCUMENTS  SUCH  AS
 FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED BY PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES
 OR  PARTICIPANTS,  into  the  twelve  most  common non-English languages
 spoken by  limited-English  proficient  individuals  in  the  state  WHO
 ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, based on the data in the most recent
 American  Community  Survey  published  by  United States Census Bureau,
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DATA COLLECTED  BY  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS,  LOCAL
 INTERPRETING  AGENCIES, FEDERAL REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS, AND STATE
 AGENCIES. [Agencies subject to this section, in  their  discretion,  may
 offer  up  to  four  additional  languages beyond the twelve most common
 languages.   Such additional languages shall be  decided  by  the  state
 agency  in consultation with the office of general services and approved
 by the office of general services based on the number of limited-English
 proficient immigrants of five years or less in New York state in need of
 language  translation  services  according  to  the  American  Community
 Survey,  including  the  growth  of  recent  arrival  populations in the

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02785-04-3

 A. 503--A                           2

 geographic regions in which the agency's services are offered, the popu-
 lation of limited-English proficient individuals served by  the  agency,
 feedback from impacted community or advocacy groups, and any other rele-
 vant data published by the United States Census Bureau.]
   (B)  EACH  AGENCY  SHALL ADDITIONALLY MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE
 WITHIN EACH REGION OF THE STATE, AS ESTABLISHED BY ARTICLE ELEVEN OF THE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES
 WHICH ARE SPOKEN IN THAT REGION AND ARE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED  AMONG  THE
 TWELVE  LANGUAGES  SPECIFIED  IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH
 ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES SHALL BE DECIDED BY THE STATE AGENCY  IN  CONSULTA-
 TION  WITH  THE OFFICE OF GENERAL SERVICES AND APPROVED BY THE OFFICE OF
 GENERAL SERVICES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMI-
 GRANTS WHO HAVE ARRIVED IN NEW YORK STATE WITHIN THE  LAST  FIVE  YEARS,
 ACCORDING  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES  CENSUS BUREAU AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY
 SURVEY, INCLUDING THE  GROWTH  OF  RECENT  ARRIVAL  POPULATIONS  IN  THE
 GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN WHICH THE AGENCY'S SERVICES ARE OFFERED, THE POPU-
 LATION  OF  LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENT INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY THE AGENCY,
 FEEDBACK FROM IMPACTED  COMMUNITY  OR  ADVOCACY  GROUPS,  AND  ANY  DATA
 COLLECTED FROM THE SOURCES LISTED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (C)  THE  LIST  OF  MOST  COMMON  LANGUAGES SHALL BE UPDATED EVERY TWO
 YEARS, BASED ON THE MOST RECENT   DATA COLLECTED BY  THE  UNITED  STATES
 CENSUS  BUREAU  AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO THE DATA SOURCES LISTED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (D) EACH AGENCY SHALL   PROVIDE COMPETENT  AND  TIMELY  INTERPRETATION
 SERVICES  TO  INDIVIDUALS  IN  THEIR  PRIMARY OR PREFERRED LANGUAGE WITH
 RESPECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SERVICES AND BENEFITS. THIS  INCLUDES  BOTH
 IN-OFFICE  SERVICES,  AND  SERVICES  PROVIDED  OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT
 OFFICE. COMPETENT INTERPRETATION SHALL MEAN SPOKEN OR SIGNED,  REAL-TIME
 COMMUNICATION IN WHICH THE QUALIFIED HUMAN INTERPRETER IS FLUENT IN BOTH
 THE SOURCE AND TARGET LANGUAGE AND IS TRAINED AS AN INTERPRETER.
   §  2.  Subparagraphs (viii) and (ix) of paragraph (c) of subdivision 3
 of section 202-a of the executive law, as added by section 1 of part  GG
 of  chapter  56  of the laws of 2022, are amended and three new subpara-
 graphs (x), (xi) and (xii) are added to read as follows:
   (viii) an explanation as to how the agency determined it would provide
 any additional language beyond the top twelve languages required by this
 section; [and]
   (ix) the identity of the agency's language access coordinator[.];
   (X)  ACCOMMODATIONS FOR COMMUNICATION ACCESS SHALL BE  AVAILABLE  UPON
 REQUEST  INCLUDING  AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION VIA AN ON-SITE
 INTERPRETER, VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETER, OR COMMUNICATION ACCESS REAL-TIME
 TRANSLATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR HAVE  HEAR-
 ING LOSS;
   (XI)  A  PHONE  NUMBER  OR EMAIL ADDRESS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN LODGE
 COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE AGENCY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE, SUCH  COMPLAINTS  SHALL
 BE KEPT FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS; AND
   (XII)  A  PROCESS  TO  MAKE  PUBLIC  THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DURING A
 TWELVE  MONTH  PERIOD  AGAINST  NONCOMPLIANCE  AND  RESOLUTION  TO  SUCH
 COMPLAINTS.
   §  3.  Article  9 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
 new title 13 to read as follows:
                                 TITLE 13
                              LANGUAGE ACCESS
 SECTION 2988. LANGUAGE ACCESS.
         2988-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
 A. 503--A                           3
 
   § 2988. LANGUAGE ACCESS. 1. EACH STATE AUTHORITY THAT PROVIDES  DIRECT
 PUBLIC  SERVICES  SHALL  TRANSLATE  VITAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ESSENTIAL
 PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED
 BY PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES  OR  PARTICIPANTS.  THE  TRANSLATION  SHALL  BE
 AVAILABLE  IN  THE  TWELVE  MOST  COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY
 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE  WHO  ARRIVED  WITHIN
 THE  LAST  FIVE  YEARS  ACCORDING  TO  THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS
 PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   2. EACH SUCH AUTHORITY SHALL MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS  AVAILABLE  WITHIN
 EACH  REGION  OF  THE  STATE,  AS  ESTABLISHED  BY ARTICLE ELEVEN OF THE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES
 WHICH ARE SPOKEN IN THAT REGION BY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS
 WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN  COMMU-
 NITY  SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU, WHICH ARE
 NOT ALREADY INCLUDED AMONG THE TWELVE LANGUAGES SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION
 ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE LIST OF MOST COMMON LANGUAGES SHALL BE  UPDATED  NO  LESS  THAN
 EVERY  TWO  YEARS  FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, BASED ON THE
 MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU.
   4. EACH SUCH AUTHORITY SHALL PROVIDE INTERPRETATION  SERVICES  BETWEEN
 THE  AGENCY  AND AN INDIVIDUAL IN HIS OR HER PRIMARY LANGUAGE, INCLUDING
 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, WITH RESPECT TO THE  PROVISION  OF  SERVICES  OR
 BENEFITS.   THIS INCLUDES BOTH IN-OFFICE SERVICES, AND SERVICES PROVIDED
 OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY OFFICE. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO,  THE
 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, AND THE ADMINISTERING OF ROAD TESTS.
   5. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, EACH SUCH
 AUTHORITY  SHALL  PUBLISH  A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WHICH REFLECTS HOW THE
 AUTHORITY WILL COMPLY WITH THE LANGUAGE ACCESS REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT  TO
 THIS SECTION, AND SHALL SET FORTH, AT A MINIMUM:
   A. CORE COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE IN THE LIMITED
 ENGLISH PROFICIENT COMMUNITY;
   B.  WHEN  AND  BY  WHAT MEANS THE AUTHORITY WILL PROVIDE OR IS ALREADY
 PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES;
   C. THE TITLES OF ALL AVAILABLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS AND THE  LANGUAGES
 INTO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED;
   D.  THE  NUMBER  OF  PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS IN THE AUTHORITY AND THE
 NUMBER OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS INCLUDING  THE
 LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK;
   E.  A TRAINING PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES WHICH INCLUDES, AT A MINIMUM, ANNUAL
 TRAINING ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES OF THE  AUTHORITY  AND  HOW  TO
 PROVIDE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   F.  A  PLAN  OF  HOW THE AUTHORITY INTENDS TO NOTIFY THE POPULATION OF
 OFFERED LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   G. A LANGUAGE ACCESS  COORDINATOR  AT  THE  AUTHORITY,  WHO  SHALL  BE
 PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED;
   H.  ACCOMMODATIONS  FOR  COMMUNICATION  ACCESS SHALL BE AVAILABLE UPON
 REQUEST INCLUDING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION VIA  AN  ON-SITE
 INTERPRETER, VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETER, OR COMMUNICATION ACCESS REAL-TIME
 TRANSLATION  FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR HAVE HEAR-
 ING LOSS;
   I. A PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS  BY  WHICH  THE  PUBLIC  CAN  LODGE
 COMPLAINTS  AGAINST  THE AGENCY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. SUCH COMPLAINTS SHALL
 BE KEPT FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS; AND
   J. MAKE PUBLIC THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DURING A TWELVE  MONTH  PERIOD
 AGAINST NONCOMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTIONS TO SUCH COMPLAINTS.
 A. 503--A                           4

   § 2988-A. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. ANY PERSON INJURED BY NONCOMPLIANCE
 WITH  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO RECOVER ACTUAL
 DAMAGES SUFFERED. IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS  SECTION,  THE  COURT
 MAY AWARD REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES TO A PREVAILING PLAINTIFF.
   § 4. The county law is amended by adding a new article 24-A to read as
 follows:
                               ARTICLE 24-A
                              LANGUAGE ACCESS
 SECTION 950. LANGUAGE ACCESS.
         951. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.
   §  950.  LANGUAGE  ACCESS.  1. EVERY POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY THAT
 PROVIDES DIRECT PUBLIC SERVICES SHALL TRANSLATE VITAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUD-
 ING ESSENTIAL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SUCH AS FORMS AND  INSTRUCTIONS  PROVIDED
 TO  OR  COMPLETED  BY  PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES OR PARTICIPANTS. THE TRANS-
 LATION  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  IN  THE  TWELVE  MOST  COMMON  NON-ENGLISH
 LANGUAGES  SPOKEN  BY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS IN THE STATE
 WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN  COMMU-
 NITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU.
   2. EACH SUCH POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL MAKE SUCH TRANSLATIONS
 AVAILABLE  WITHIN  EACH  REGION  OF THE STATE, AS ESTABLISHED BY ARTICLE
 ELEVEN OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW, IN THE THREE  MOST  COMMON  NON-
 ENGLISH  LANGUAGES  WHICH  ARE  SPOKEN IN THAT REGION BY LIMITED ENGLISH
 PROFICIENT IMMIGRANTS WHO ARRIVED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE  YEARS  ACCORDING
 TO  THE  AMERICAN  COMMUNITY  SURVEY,  AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU, WHICH ARE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED AMONG THE TWELVE LANGUAGES
 SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS  SECTION,
 A  COUNTY MAY ADD ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES AS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE LOCAL
 VARIANCES FROM STATEWIDE LANGUAGES, PROVIDED SUCH  LANGUAGES  ARE  ADDED
 AFTER PUBLIC NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
   4.  THE  LIST  OF  MOST COMMON LANGUAGES SHALL BE UPDATED NO LESS THAN
 EVERY TWO YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION,  BASED  ON  THE
 MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS  BUREAU, AND ANY ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES SUCH COUNTY SHALL CHOOSE TO
 SELECT.
   5. EACH SUCH POLITICAL ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL PROVIDE INTERPRETATION
 SERVICES BETWEEN THE ENTITY AND AN INDIVIDUAL  IN  HIS  OR  HER  PRIMARY
 LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS.
   6. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, EACH SUCH
 POLITICAL  ENTITY OF A COUNTY SHALL PUBLISH A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN WHICH
 REFLECTS HOW THE POLITICAL ENTITY WILL COMPLY WITH THE  LANGUAGE  ACCESS
 REQUIREMENTS  PURSUANT  TO THIS SECTION, AND SHALL SET FORTH, AT A MINI-
 MUM:
   (A) CORE COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE IN THE LIMIT-
 ED ENGLISH PROFICIENT COMMUNITY;
   (B) WHEN AND BY WHAT MEANS THE POLITICAL ENTITY SHALL  PROVIDE  OR  IS
 ALREADY PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES;
   (C) THE TITLES OF ALL AVAILABLE TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS AND THE LANGUAGES
 INTO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED;
   (D) THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS IN THE POLITICAL ENTITY AND
 THE  NUMBER OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC CONTACT POSITIONS INCLUDING
 THE LANGUAGES THEY SPEAK;
   (E) A TRAINING PLAN FOR  EMPLOYEES  OF  THE  POLITICAL  ENTITY,  WHICH
 INCLUDES,  AT A MINIMUM, ANNUAL TRAINING ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES
 OF THE POLITICAL ENTITY AND HOW TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
 A. 503--A                           5

   (F) A PLAN OF HOW THE POLITICAL ENTITY INTENDS  TO  NOTIFY  THE  POPU-
 LATION OF OFFERED LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES;
   (G)  A  LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR AT THE POLITICAL ENTITY, WHO SHALL
 BE PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED;
   (H) ACCOMMODATIONS FOR COMMUNICATION ACCESS SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  UPON
 REQUEST  INCLUDING  AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION VIA AN ON-SITE
 INTERPRETER, VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETER, OR COMMUNICATION ACCESS REAL-TIME
 TRANSLATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR HAVE  HEAR-
 ING LOSS;
   (I) A  PHONE  NUMBER  OR  EMAIL  ADDRESS BY WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN LODGE
 COMPLAINTS   AGAINST   THE  POLITICAL  ENTITY  FOR  NONCOMPLIANCE.  SUCH
 COMPLAINTS  SHALL BE KEPT FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS; AND
   (J) MAKE  PUBLIC THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DURING A TWELVE MONTH PERIOD
 AGAINST NONCOMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTIONS TO SUCH COMPLAINTS.
   § 951. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. ANY PERSON  INJURED  BY  NONCOMPLIANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO RECOVER ACTU-
 AL DAMAGES SUFFERED. IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT
 MAY AWARD REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES TO A PREVAILING PLAINTIFF.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Assembly Bill A503A

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - Stricken

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-A503 - Details

2023-A503 - Summary

2023-A503 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Assembly Bill A503A

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Sponsored By

JOYNER

Current Bill Status - Stricken

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Anna Kelles

MaryJane Shimsky

Catalina Cruz

William Colton

2023-A503 - Details

2023-A503 - Summary

2023-A503 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Anna Kelles

MaryJane Shimsky

Catalina Cruz

William Colton

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-A503A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments