Senate Bill S9379

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes language-specific civil service titles for customer-facing roles in state and local agencies

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

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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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 06, 2026	referred to civil service and pensions

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Civil Service And Pensions
Law Section:: Civil Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §155, Civ Serv L

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes language-specific variants of existing customer-facing titles where high-need language thresholds are met.

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9379

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to establishing
language-specific civil service titles for customer-facing roles in
state and local agencies

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill sets forth its legislative findings and intent,
recognizing that limited English proficiency continues to impede equita-
ble access to public services and that agencies must formally designate
language-specific civil service titles to meet demonstrated language
needs.

Section 2 of this bill adds a new section 155 to the civil service law.
This section defines the terms "customer-facing title," "high-need
language," and "language-specific title." It requires the Department of
Civil Service to establish language-specific variants of existing
customer-facing titles when county-level or statewide language thresh-
olds are met. The section further requires such titles to include profi-

ciency testing and to be maintained as separate eligible lists. It
directs agencies to fill at least twenty-five percent of applicable
customer-facing positions using language-specific titles, while permit-
ting agencies to exceed this threshold based on demonstrated need. Agen-
cies may request waivers where customer service metrics are being met.
The section also requires agencies to utilize interpretation services
when language-specific eligible lists are empty. Finally, it mandates
annual reporting by agencies and requires the creation of a statewide
public dashboard disaggregated by agency, title, county, and language.

Section 3 of this bill provides that the act shall take effect one
hundred eighty days after it becomes law and authorizes the promulgation
of any necessary rules and regulations prior to such date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York is home to one of the most linguistically diverse populations
in the nation. Yet limited English proficiency (LEP) continues to pres-
ent a major barrier to accessing essential public services, including
benefits intake, housing assistance, and interactions with public safety
agencies. While interpretation services remain an important tool, they
are not a substitute for direct communication with trained staff who
speak the languages most commonly used in the communities they serve.
Currently, civil service titles do not reflect language requirements,
even in positions where language proficiency is critical for accurate
intake, eligibility determinations, and effective service delivery. As a
result, agencies lack a standardized and enforceable mechanism to
recruit and retain staff with the language skills necessary to serve
their communities.  This bill addresses that structural gap by formally
establishing language-specific civil service titles in areas where high-
need languages are prevalent. It incorporates language proficiency test-
ing into the examination process, ensuring quality and consistency in
hiring. It also requires agencies to staff at least twenty-five percent
of applicable customer-facing positions with languag e-specific titles,
while allowing agencies to exceed this threshold when warranted. The
bill further provides operational flexibility by allowing agencies to
request waivers where service metrics demonstrate that language needs
are being met, and by maintaining the use of interpretation services
when eligible lists are temporarily unavailable. Additionally, the bill
promotes transparency and accountability through annual reporting
requirements and the establishment of a statewide public dashboard that
tracks language access staffing by agency, title, county, and language.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

Minimal. Costs are expected to be limited to examination adjustments and
reporting functions and may be offset by improved service efficiency and
reduced reliance on contracted interpretation services.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act takes effect 180 days after becoming law.

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9379
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 6, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
 
 AN ACT to amend the civil  service  law,  in  relation  to  establishing
   language-specific  civil  service  titles for customer-facing roles in
   state and local agencies
 
   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 finds that
 limited  English  proficiency  continues  to  impede equitable access to
 public services. To ensure meaningful  language  access,  agencies  must
 formally  designate language-specific civil service titles for customer-
 facing roles where high-need languages are prevalent. This act  mandates
 the creation, certification, and staffing of such titles based on county
 and statewide language data.
   §  2.  The civil service law is amended by adding a new section 155 to
 read as follows:
   § 155. LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC TITLES FOR CUSTOMER-FACING ROLES. 1. AS  USED
 IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "CUSTOMER-FACING TITLE" SHALL MEAN ANY COMPETITIVE OR NON-COMPETI-
 TIVE CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OF THE STATE OR OF ANY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OR
 POLITICAL  SUBDIVISION  OF THE STATE IN WHICH THE PRIMARY DUTIES INVOLVE
 DIRECT INTERACTION WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC  FOR  INTAKE,  ELIGIBILITY
 DETERMINATION, SERVICE PROVISION, OR COMPLAINT RESOLUTION.
   (B) "HIGH-NEED LANGUAGE" SHALL MEAN ANY LANGUAGE THAT:
   (I)  RANKS AMONG THE TOP THREE SPOKEN LANGUAGES (EXCLUDING ENGLISH) IN
 THE COUNTY SERVED BY THE AGENCY; OR
   (II) RANKS AMONG THE TOP FIVE  SPOKEN  LANGUAGES  (EXCLUDING  ENGLISH)
 STATEWIDE, AS DETERMINED BY THE MOST RECENT U.S. CENSUS OR AGENCY INTAKE
 DATA.
   (C)  "LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC TITLE" SHALL MEAN A CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OF THE
 STATE OR OF ANY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OR POLITICAL  SUBDIVISION  OF  THE
 STATE FORMALLY DESIGNATED TO REQUIRE PROFICIENCY IN A SPECIFIC HIGH-NEED
 LANGUAGE, REFLECTED IN THE TITLE NAME AND EXAMINATION CRITERIA.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13792-01-5

 S. 9379                             2
 
   2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC VARIANTS OF EXIST-
 ING  CUSTOMER-FACING TITLES WHERE HIGH-NEED LANGUAGE THRESHOLDS ARE MET.
 SUCH LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC VARIANTS OF EXISTING CUSTOMER-FACING TITLES SHALL
 INCLUDE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TESTING AS PART OF THE EXAMINATION  PROCESS
 AND BE LISTED SEPARATELY ON ELIGIBLE LISTS.
   3.  (A)  EVERY  AGENCY SHALL FILL NO FEWER THAN TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF
 CUSTOMER-FACING POSITIONS IN APPLICABLE TITLES  USING  LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC
 DESIGNATIONS  ALIGNED  WITH THEIR SERVICE AREA'S HIGH-NEED LANGUAGES. AN
 AGENCY MAY EXCEED THIS THRESHOLD BASED ON DEMONSTRATED  LIMITED  ENGLISH
 PROFICIENCY SERVICE DEMAND.
   (B)  AN  AGENCY  MAY  REQUEST A WAIVER FOR SPECIFIC TITLES IF CUSTOMER
 SERVICE METRICS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT ARE BEING MET.
   (C) INTERPRETATION SERVICES SHALL BE  USED  BY  AN  AGENCY  WHERE  THE
 APPLICABLE LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC TITLE LIST IS EMPTY.
   4.  (A)  EVERY  AGENCY SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT
 DETAILING:
   (I) THE NUMBER OF LANGUAGE-SPECIFIC POSITIONS FILLED AND VACANT;
   (II) THE NUMBER OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY CLIENTS SERVED OF  EACH
 LANGUAGE; AND
   (III) THE USE OF INTERPRETATION SERVICES AND UNMET LANGUAGE NEEDS.
   (B)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBLISH ON ITS WEBSITE A STATEWIDE DASHBOARD
 TRACKING COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS  SECTION,  DISAGGREGATED
 BY AGENCY, TITLE, COUNTY, AND LANGUAGE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S9379

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

Actions

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Robert Jackson

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Civil Service And Pensions Committee

Actions

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9379 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments