88R10659 BDP-D
 
  By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2080
 
 
 
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, 2023.