LANGUAGE EQUITY AND ACCESS ACT Senate SponsorsSen. Karina Villa, Javier L. Cervantes, Rachel Ventura, Bill Cunningham, Emil Jones, III, Mike Simmons-Ram Villivalam, Cristina Castro, Mike Porfirio, Celina Villanueva, Mary Edly-Allen, David Koehler, Adriane Johnson, Omar Aquino, Laura Ellman, Michael E. Hastings, Natalie Toro and Robert Peters House Sponsors(Rep. Dagmara Avelar-Theresa Mah-Justin Slaughter-Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez-Nabeela Syed, Will Guzzardi, Norma Hernandez, Anne Stava-Murray, Janet Yang Rohr, Dave Vella, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., Margaret Croke, Ann M. Williams, Hoan Huynh, Lilian Jiménez, Jenn Ladisch Douglass, Joyce Mason, Anna Moeller, Suzanne M. Ness, Kevin John Olickal, Aarón M. Ortíz, Kam Buckner, Kelly M. Cassidy, Eva-Dina Delgado, Edgar González, Jr., Barbara Hernández, Abdelnasser Rashid, Sharon Chung, Marcus C. Evans, Jr., Cyril Nichols, Maurice A. West, II, Yolonda Morris, Maura Hirschauer, Lindsey LaPointe, La Shawn K. Ford, Sonya M. Harper and Carol Ammons) 8/2/2024SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0723 New ActCreates the Language Equity and Access Act. Requires the Governor's Office of New Americans, in partnership with the Department of Human Services, to: prepare a Language Needs Assessment Report that identifies the languages spoken throughout the State; assist State agencies in the creation of language access plans; provide oversight and central coordination to State agencies in the implementation of language access requirements under this Act; ensure that each State agency develops an internal complaint and review process specific to the provision of language assistance services in addressing complaints in a timely manner; and perform other duties. Requires the Office and Department to work with State agencies to compile available United States Census data on language used across the State to inform the Language Needs Assessment Report. Provides that the report shall be updated every 10 years in conjunction with the decennial federal census. Requires each State agency to prepare and submit a language access plan to the Governor's Office of New Americans.Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause and replaces it with the bill as introduced with the following changes. Defines "language assistance services". Changes the reporting deadlines and the content of the Language Equity and Access Compliance Report to the General Assembly. Changes terminology. Requires the Governor's Office of New Americans to attempt to resolve a language access complaint received by a State agency if the agency does not resolve the complaint in a timely manner or the resolution is inadequate. Authorizes the Governor's Office of New Americans to engage in informal processes, including mediation, conference, and conciliation to resolve the complaint. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. 2/9/2024SenateFiled with Secretary by Sen. Karina Villa 2/9/2024SenateFirst Reading 2/9/2024SenateReferred to Assignments 2/28/2024SenateAssigned to State Government 3/15/2024SenateRule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 5, 2024 3/22/2024SenateDo Pass State Government; 009-000-000 3/22/2024SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 9, 2024 4/4/2024SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Karina Villa 4/4/2024SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments 4/9/2024SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to State Government 4/9/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes 4/9/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Rachel Ventura 4/9/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Bill Cunningham 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Emil Jones, III 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Simmons 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam 4/10/2024SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt State Government; 008-000-000 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Cristina Castro 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Porfirio 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Celina Villanueva 4/10/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen 4/11/2024SenateSecond Reading 4/11/2024SenateSenate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted 4/11/2024SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 12, 2024 4/11/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. David Koehler 4/12/2024SenateThird Reading - Passed; 045-008-000 4/12/2024HouseArrived in House 4/12/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson 4/12/2024HouseChief House Sponsor Rep. Dagmara Avelar 4/12/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Omar Aquino 4/12/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman 4/12/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael E. Hastings 4/15/2024HouseFirst Reading 4/15/2024HouseReferred to Rules Committee 4/16/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Will Guzzardi 4/18/2024HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Theresa Mah 4/18/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Norma Hernandez 4/24/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez 4/24/2024HouseAssigned to Immigration & Human Rights Committee 4/24/2024HouseAlternate Co-Sponsor Removed Rep. Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez 4/29/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Natalie Toro 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Anne Stava-Murray 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Dave Vella 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Margaret Croke 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Ann M. Williams 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jenn Ladisch Douglass 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Joyce Mason 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Anna Moeller 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Suzanne M. Ness 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kevin John Olickal 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Aarón M. Ortíz 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kam Buckner 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Edgar González, Jr. 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernández 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Nabeela Syed 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez 4/30/2024HouseAlternate Chief Co-Sponsor Changed to Rep. Nabeela Syed 4/30/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid 5/1/2024HouseDo Pass / Short Debate Immigration & Human Rights Committee; 008-004-000 5/2/2024HousePlaced on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Sharon Chung 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Cyril Nichols 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Maurice A. West, II 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Yolonda Morris 5/2/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Maura Hirschauer 5/10/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Lindsey LaPointe 5/14/2024SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert Peters 5/16/2024HouseSecond Reading - Short Debate 5/16/2024HouseHeld on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate 5/17/2024HouseThird Reading/Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 24, 2024 5/20/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. La Shawn K. Ford 5/23/2024HousePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate 5/23/2024HouseThird Reading - Short Debate - Passed 073-038-000 5/23/2024SenatePassed Both Houses 5/23/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Sonya M. Harper 5/23/2024HouseAdded Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Carol Ammons 6/21/2024SenateSent to the Governor 8/2/2024SenateGovernor Approved 8/2/2024SenateEffective Date August 2, 2024 8/2/2024SenatePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0723