Full Text of SB1448 95th General Assembly
SB1448 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008 SB1448
Introduced 2/9/2007, by Sen. Martin A. Sandoval SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
|
|
Creates the Access to Governmental Services Act. Creates the Access to Governmental Services Act. Requires each constitutional officer, State agency, circuit court clerk, and State program to take reasonable steps to provide equal access to public services for individuals with limited English proficiency, including: (i) having a sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in public contact positions or as interpreters and (ii) translation of important documents ordinarily provided to the public into any language spoken by at least 3% of the overall population of the State, as measured by the U.S. Census. Requires the Illinois Human Rights Commission to implement a process to address disputes arising under the Act.
|
| |
|
|
| FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY | |
|
|
A BILL FOR
|
|
|
|
|
SB1448 |
|
LRB095 11076 AJO 31402 b |
|
| 1 |
| AN ACT concerning access to governmental services.
| 2 |
| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| 3 |
| represented in the General Assembly:
| 4 |
| Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Access | 5 |
| to Governmental Services Act. | 6 |
| Section 5. Definitions. | 7 |
| "Equal access" means to be informed of, participate in, and | 8 |
| benefit from public services offered by a State agency, circuit | 9 |
| court, constitutional office, or a State program at a level | 10 |
| equal to individuals who do not have limited English | 11 |
| proficiency. | 12 |
| "Limited English proficiency" means the inability to | 13 |
| adequately understand or express oneself in the spoken or | 14 |
| written English language. | 15 |
| "Oral language services" includes various methods to | 16 |
| provide verbal information and interpretations, such as staff | 17 |
| interpreters, bilingual staff, telephone interpreter programs, | 18 |
| and private interpreter programs. | 19 |
| "Important documents" means application or informational | 20 |
| materials, websites, notices, and complaint forms offered by | 21 |
| State agencies, constitutional officers, circuit court clerks, | 22 |
| and State programs, as defined by rule by the appropriate State | 23 |
| agency, constitutional officer, circuit court clerk, or State |
|
|
|
SB1448 |
- 2 - |
LRB095 11076 AJO 31402 b |
|
| 1 |
| program. "Important documents" does not include applications | 2 |
| and examinations related to the licensure, certification, or | 3 |
| registration of businesses and professionals. | 4 |
| "State program" means any program administered by a State | 5 |
| agency, but does not include any program administered, in whole | 6 |
| or in part, by a unit of local government or a school district, | 7 |
| regardless of whether State funds are expended under the | 8 |
| program. | 9 |
| "Sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in | 10 |
| public contact positions" means the number of qualified | 11 |
| bilingual persons required in order to provide the same level | 12 |
| of service to non-English-speaking persons as is available to | 13 |
| English-speaking persons seeking the same service. | 14 |
| Section 10. Language access required. | 15 |
| (a) Each State agency, constitutional officer, circuit | 16 |
| court clerk, and State program shall take reasonable steps to | 17 |
| provide equal access to public services for individuals with | 18 |
| limited English proficiency. | 19 |
| (b) Reasonable steps to provide equal access to public | 20 |
| services include, but are not limited to: | 21 |
| (1) Having a sufficient number of qualified bilingual | 22 |
| persons in public contact positions or as interpreters to | 23 |
| assist persons in public contact positions in providing | 24 |
| services to individuals with limited English proficiency | 25 |
| where there is documented substantial need due to contact |
|
|
|
SB1448 |
- 3 - |
LRB095 11076 AJO 31402 b |
|
| 1 |
| between a State agency, constitutional officer, circuit | 2 |
| court clerk, or State program and individuals with limited | 3 |
| English proficiency. | 4 |
| (2) Translating important documents ordinarily | 5 |
| provided to the public into any language spoken by any | 6 |
| limited English proficient population that constitutes at | 7 |
| least 3% of the overall population of the State as measured | 8 |
| by the U.S. Census. | 9 |
| (c) Each State agency, constitutional officer, circuit | 10 |
| court clerk, and State program shall adopt rules regarding the | 11 |
| requirements of this Section not less than 6 months after the | 12 |
| date that this Act takes effect, or as soon thereafter as | 13 |
| possible. | 14 |
| (d) The Illinois Human Rights Commission shall implement a | 15 |
| process to address disputes arising under this Act, including, | 16 |
| but not limited to, disputes concerning the interpretation of | 17 |
| "important documents" and "sufficient number of qualified | 18 |
| bilingual persons in public contact positions", not less than 6 | 19 |
| months after the date that this Act takes effect, or as soon | 20 |
| thereafter as possible.
|
|