Bill Text: NJ A2552 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Commissioners of DOH and DHS to perform language needs assessment.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A2552 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A2552-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioners of DOH and DHS to perform language needs assessment.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning translation services and supplementing Titles 26 and 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health shall perform a language needs assessment for all offices and programs in the department. The language needs assessment shall include, but not be limited to, research concerning the linguistic groups found in the office or program's service area; new linguistic groups entering the office or program's service area; the frequency with which certain linguistic groups in the service area utilize the office or program; the linguistic groups that most often request materials from the office or program in languages other than English; the linguistic groups that may be in need of materials from the office or program in languages other than English but who do not request those materials; the linguistic groups in the service area that do not access services in the office or program; the significant unmet needs for providing materials in languages other than English; the outreach activities that need to occur to ensure that certain linguistic groups know that materials in languages other than English are either available, or can be made available once a significant unmet language need is identified.
b. The Commissioner of Health shall analyze the results of the language needs assessment established pursuant to subsection a. of this section in preparation for a future joint request for proposals for a translation service to serve both the Departments of Health and Human Services, which would translate materials into languages other than English for any linguistic communities served by their offices or programs that present a significant unmet language need. Any requests for proposals made in response to the language needs assessment established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be governed by applicable laws and procurement rules.
2. a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall perform a language needs assessment for all offices and programs in the department. The language needs assessment shall include, but not be limited to, research concerning the linguistic groups found in the office or program's service area; new linguistic groups entering the office or program's service area; the frequency with which certain linguistic groups in the service area utilize the office or program; the linguistic groups that most often request materials from the office or program in languages other than English; the linguistic groups that may be in need of materials from the office or program in languages other than English but who do not request those materials; the linguistic groups in the service area that do not access services in the office or program; the significant unmet needs for providing materials in languages other than English; the outreach activities that need to occur to ensure that certain linguistic groups know that materials in languages other than English are either available, or can be made available once a significant unmet language need is identified.
b. The Commissioner of Human Services shall analyze the results of the language needs assessment established pursuant to subsection a. of this section in preparation for a future joint request for proposals for a translation service to serve both the Departments of Health and Human Services, which would translate materials into languages other than English for any linguistic communities served by their offices or programs that present a significant unmet language need. Any requests for proposals made in response to the language needs assessment established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be governed by applicable laws and procurement rules.
3. Within 180 days after the effective date of this act, the Commissioners of Health and Human Services, in consultation with each other, shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioners of Health and Human Services to perform a language needs assessment for all offices and programs in their respective departments. The language needs assessment is to include, but not be limited to, questions concerning the linguistic groups found in the office or program's service area; new linguistic groups entering the office or program's service area; the frequency with which certain linguistic groups in the service area utilize the office or program; the linguistic groups that most often request materials from the office or program in languages other than English; the linguistic groups that may be in need of materials from the office or program in languages other than English but who do not request those materials; the linguistic groups in the service area that do not access services in the office or program; the significant unmet needs for providing materials in languages other than English; the outreach activities that need to occur to ensure that certain linguistic groups know that materials in languages other than English are either available, or can be made available once a significant unmet language need is identified.
The bill provides that the Commissioners of Health and Human Services would analyze the results of the language needs assessment in order to prepare a joint request for proposals for a translation service to serve both departments, and translate materials into languages other than English for any linguistic communities served by their offices or programs that present a significant unmet language need.
