Sen. Martin A. Sandoval

Filed: 2/27/2007

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1448

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1448 by deleting
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Access 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

 

 

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1 interpreters, bilingual staff, telephone interpreter programs,
2 and private interpreter programs.
3     "Important documents" means application or informational
4 materials, websites, notices, and complaint forms offered by
5 State agencies, constitutional officers, circuit court clerks,
6 and State programs, as defined by rule by the appropriate State
7 agency, constitutional officer, circuit court clerk, or State
8 program. "Important documents" does not include applications
9 and examinations related to the licensure, certification, or
10 registration of businesses and professionals.
11     "State program" means any program administered by a State
12 agency, but does not include any program administered, in whole
13 or in part, by a unit of local government or a school district,
14 regardless of whether State funds are expended under the
15 program.
16     "Sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in
17 public contact positions" means the number of qualified
18 bilingual persons required in order to provide the same level
19 of service to non-English-speaking persons as is available to
20 English-speaking persons seeking the same service.
 
21     Section 10. Language access required.
22     (a) Each State agency, constitutional officer, circuit
23 court clerk, and State program shall take reasonable steps to
24 provide equal access to public services for individuals with
25 limited English proficiency.

 

 

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1     (b) Reasonable steps to provide equal access to public
2 services include, but are not limited to:
3         (1) Having a sufficient number of qualified bilingual
4     persons in public contact positions or as interpreters to
5     assist persons in public contact positions in providing
6     services to individuals with limited English proficiency
7     where there is documented substantial need due to contact
8     between a State agency, constitutional officer, circuit
9     court clerk, or State program and individuals with limited
10     English proficiency.
11         (2) Translating important documents ordinarily
12     provided to the public into any language spoken by any
13     limited English proficient population that constitutes at
14     least 3% of the overall population of the State as measured
15     by the U.S. Census.
16     (c) Each State agency, constitutional officer, circuit
17 court clerk, and State program shall adopt rules regarding the
18 requirements of this Section not more than 6 months after the
19 date that this Act takes effect, or as soon thereafter as
20 possible.
21     (d) The Illinois Human Rights Commission shall implement a
22 process to address disputes arising under this Act, including,
23 but not limited to, disputes concerning the interpretation of
24 "important documents" and "sufficient number of qualified
25 bilingual persons in public contact positions", not less than 6
26 months after the date that this Act takes effect, or as soon

 

 

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1 thereafter as possible.".