SB1869enr 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1869 Enrolled LRB100 09019 RJF 19166 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Language Access to Government Services Task Force Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) Nearly 10% of Illinois' population is limited English proficient, giving Illinois the 5th largest limited English proficient population in the United States at over 1.1 million residents.

(2) Language barriers continue to exist for many Illinois residents who are limited English proficient, and these barriers limit their ability to fully participate in civic life and maximize their economic productivity.

(3) Language barriers for limited English proficient residents create very real challenges when trying to access information about available government services or an individual's legal rights or obligations under State and local laws.

(4) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires program recipients of federal funds, such as certain State agencies, to take reasonable steps to ensure that limited English proficient persons have meaningful access to their programs and activities.

(5) The public safety, health, economic prosperity, and general welfare of all Illinois residents is furthered by increasing language access to State programs and services.

Section 10. The Language Access to Government Services Task Force.

(a) There is hereby created the Language Access to Government Services Task Force to study and reduce the language barriers existing among Illinois residents who are limited English proficient, and to maximize their ability to access government services and participate in civic discourse.

(b) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:

(1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(5) one member appointed by the Governor as a representative of the Governor's Office;

(6) one member appointed by the Attorney General as a representative of the Attorney General's Office;

(7) one member appointed by the Secretary of State as a representative of the Secretary of State's Office;

(8) one member appointed by the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services as a representative of the Department of Human Services;

(9) five members appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a non-profit organization that promotes civic engagement and advocates on behalf of immigrant communities through a coalition of member organizations that serve Latino, Asian, African, Arab, and European immigrants; and

(10) five members appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a non-profit organization that promotes civic engagement among Asian American communities and advocates on behalf of Asian American communities through its Pan-Asian coalition.

(c) Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for serving as members, and shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of this Act and begin meeting no later than 30 days after the appointments are finalized, but shall hold its first meeting no later than September 1, 2017. In the event that any appointment required to be made by the Governor under paragraphs (9) and (10) of subsection (b) is not made within 30 days after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary of Human Services shall make such appointments within 15 days after the appointment deadline.

(d) The Task Force shall elect a chairperson from among its membership, and the Department of Human Services shall provide technical support and assistance to the Task Force and shall be responsible for administering its operations and ensuring that the requirements of this Act are met. The Task Force may otherwise consult with any persons or entities it deems necessary to carry out its purposes.

Section 15. Duties of the Language Access to Government Services Task Force. The duties of the Task Force shall consist of the following:

(1) review existing language access laws or ordinances in other parts of the country, including existing reports or academic publications on such laws or ordinances;

(2) evaluate their effectiveness in eliminating language barriers for limited English proficient communities;

(3) consider any other available and relevant information on language access issues in Illinois, including census data, community feedback, or surveys;

(4) identify and recommend specific best-practices and provisions for a State language access law; and

(5) produce a final report summarizing the Task Force's findings and detailing its specific recommendations for a State language access law and highlight any areas of major disagreement within the Task Force.

Section 20. Report. The Task Force shall submit its final report with findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Attorney General on or before July 1, 2018.

Section 25. Repeal. This Act is repealed on December 31, 2018.

Section 100. The Legislative Information System Act is amended by changing Section 5.09 as follows:

(25 ILCS 145/5.09)

Sec. 5.09. Public computer access; legislative information. To make available to the public all of the following information in electronic form:

(1) On or before July 1, 1999, the weekly schedule of legislative floor sessions for each of the 2 houses of the General Assembly together with a list of matters pending before them and the weekly schedule of legislative committee hearings together with matters scheduled for their consideration.

(2) On or before July 1, 1999, a list of the committees of the General Assembly and their members.

(3) On or before July 1, 1999, the text of each bill and resolution introduced and of each engrossed, enrolled, and re-enrolled bill and resolution and the text of each adopted amendment and conference committee report.

(4) On or before July 1, 1999, a synopsis of items specified in paragraph (3) of this Section, together with a summary of legislative and gubernatorial actions regarding each bill and resolution introduced.

(5) On or before July 1, 1999, the Rules of the House and the Senate of the General Assembly.

(6) Before the conclusion of the Ninety-second General Assembly, the text of Public Acts.

(7) Before the conclusion of the Ninety-second General Assembly, the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

(8) Before the conclusion of the Ninety-second General Assembly, the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

(9) Before the conclusion of the Ninety-second General Assembly, the text of the Illinois Administrative Code.

(10) Before the conclusion of the Ninety-second General Assembly, the most current issue of the Illinois Register published on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1998.

(11) Any other information that the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services elects to make available.

The information shall be made available to the public through a website maintained by the System the World Wide Web. The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information.

Any documentation that describes the electronic digital formats of the information shall be made available through a website maintained by the System the World Wide Web.

Personal information concerning a person who accesses this public information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person.

No fee or other charge may be imposed by the Legislative Information System as a condition of accessing the information, except that a reasonable fee may be charged for any customized services and shall be deposited into the General Assembly Computer Equipment Revolving Fund.

The electronic public access provided through the System's website World Wide Web shall be in addition to any other electronic or print distribution of the information.

Within one-year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, to the extent practicable, the System shall use a free translation tool to enable translation into multiple languages of the information made available to the public through the website maintained by the System. The translation tool shall, at a minimum, translate the following content on the website maintained by the System: the home page; information regarding the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including, but not limited to, each member's biography, committee assignments, and sponsored bills; information regarding the membership of, bills assigned to, and meeting schedules of each standing and special committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate; information on the procedural status of each bill and resolution, together with any amendments thereto, and appointment message filed in the House of Representatives or the Senate, including both general information and user-selected information (through the "My Legislation" function or otherwise), but not including the synopsis or text of any bill or resolution, or any amendment thereto, or any appointment message, Public Act, or Executive Order; information regarding previous General Assemblies, not including the synopsis or text of any bill or resolution, or any amendment thereto, or any appointment message, Public Act, or Executive Order; contact information for the General Assembly, legislative support service agencies, and other related offices in the Capitol Complex; and information regarding access for persons with disabilities. The System may, in its discretion, provide for additional content to be translated. The languages available for translation shall be those provided by the translation tool. Before a user accesses translated information, the System shall ensure that a disclaimer is first displayed, stating that: the translated information is offered as a convenience and should not be considered accurate as to the translation of the text in question; and the English language version is the official and authoritative version of the text in question.

No action taken under this Section shall be deemed to alter or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or entitlement of the State of Illinois relating to any of the information made available under this Section.

The information shall be made available as provided in this Section in the shortest practicable time after it is publicly available in any other form; provided that the System may make information available under this Section only if the availability in no way reduces the quality and timeliness of service available to and required under this Act for legislative users and does not unduly burden the General Assembly or its support services agencies. Failure to provide information under this Section does not affect the validity of any action of the General Assembly. The General Assembly and the State of Illinois are not liable for the accuracy, availability, or use of the information provided under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 90-666, eff. 7-30-98.)

Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.