Bill Text: MI SB0383 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Civil rights: other; language access plan; require state agencies to create and implement for individuals with limited English proficiency. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0382'23
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-11-01 - Referred To Second Reading [SB0383 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0383-Engrossed.html
SENATE BILL NO. 383
A bill to provide for the statewide coordination of equal language access to state services by individuals with limited English proficiency; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities; and to establish a process for submitting complaints and obtaining remedies for lack of equal language access and for denials of equal access based on one's national origin.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "statewide equal language access coordination act".
(a) "Covered entity", "equal language access", and "limited English proficiency" mean those terms as defined in the equal language access to state services act.
(b) "Office of global Michigan" means that term as used in 2022 PA 166.
Sec. 3. The office of global Michigan shall do all of the following:
(a) Coordinate steps taken by covered entities throughout this state to provide equal language access to public services pursuant to the equal language access to state services act.
(b) Designate at least 1 language access liaison to work with covered entities to train staff, develop resources, conduct outreach activities that inform the public of available language services, and facilitate compliance with the equal language access to state services act.
(c) Create a complaint form and a process for members of the public to use to report and pursue a remedy for instances of noncompliance with the equal language access to state services act. The complaint form created under this subdivision is subject to the translation requirements described in section 2(c) of the equal language access to state services act.
(d) In collaboration with the department of civil rights and consistent with section 602 of the Elliot-Larsen civil rights act, 1976 PA 453, MCL 37.2602, create a complaint process under which individuals who believe that they have been denied full and equal access to a covered entity because of their national origin may submit a complaint and seek a remedy against a covered entity.
Sec. 4. Any individual who believes that they were denied full and equal access to a covered entity because of their national origin has the right to separately seek a remedy with the department of civil rights pursuant to the complaint process described in section 3(d).
Enacting section 1. This act takes effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.
Enacting section 2. This act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 382 of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.
