Language Access Plan Bill Requires At Least One New Officer

The text as introduced · 468 words

By: Miles
S.B. No. 2914

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the development of a language access plan to increase

access to assistance under health and human services programs by

certain individuals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 531.0193 to read as follows:

Sec. 531.0193. LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN. (a) The commission

shall develop a language access plan to increase non-English

speakers' access to assistance provided under the health and human

services programs the commission administers. The plan must

ensure:

(1) all of the commission's public written materials,

forms, applications, portal application systems, and external

communications are translated and orally interpreted into any

language spoken by a group in this state with a population of at

least 50,000 of which at least 33 percent have limited English

proficiency, according to the most recent American Community Survey

compiled by the United States Census Bureau, including:

(A) English;

(B) Spanish;

(C) Vietnamese;

(D) Korean;

(E) Arabic;

(F) Mandarin or Cantonese; and

(G) traditional and simplified written Chinese;

(2) the translated materials, forms, applications,

and external communications are available to the public on the

commission's Internet website;

(3) that groups described by Subdivision (1) are

informed about language access rights and services, including the

availability of the commission's written translations and oral

interpretations by:

(A) conducting intentional outreach efforts; and

(B) posting translated information and public

announcements in public spaces;

(4) commission employees are provided training on the

language access plan, language access procedures, and expectations

related to the access plan; and

(5) that quality control and accountability measures

are developed to make certain:

(A) all translations and interpretations are

professional and understandable; and

(B) members of the groups described by

Subdivision (1) are able to evaluate the performance of the

commission's language access services and the effectiveness of the

language access plan.

(b) The commission shall employ at least one language access

officer to oversee the implementation of the language access plan

and ensure language access services are provided in accordance with

the plan.

(c) The commission may use multilingual commission

employees or contract with a third party to translate and prepare or

provide oral interpretations of the commission's written

materials, forms, applications, portal application systems, and

external communications as required by Subsection (a).

(d) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to

implement this section.

SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act

a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a

federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,

the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or

authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the

waiver or authorization is granted.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.