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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, There are over 1,000,000 Illinois residents that
3are not proficient in English; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes that
5comprehensive communication with one's health care provider is
6critical; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
8guarantees individuals the right to receive interpreter
9services from health facilities that receive federal funds;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, The Language Assistance Services Act affirms that
12the intent of the General Assembly is to provide quality
13health care despite the persistence of language barriers; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated a
15transition to telehealth services in which Limited English
16Proficiency (LEP) patients face structural barriers in
17accessing and utilizing, including lack of access to
18technology, need for medical interpreters, unfriendly patient
19portals, and increased privacy concerns; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The American Geriatric Society has published

 

 

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1findings indicating LEP patients over 60 are at a higher risk
2for worse mental and physical outcomes; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Illinois Advisory Committee to the U.S.
4Commission on Civil Rights heard testimony that LEP patients
5do not always receive interpreter services in health
6facilities and that, even when interpreter services are
7provided, it is not always an accurate interpretation; and
 
8    WHEREAS, A survey of hospitals conducted by the American
9Medical Association found that over 80% of the hospitals
10indicated that they frequently encounter patients with limited
11English proficiency; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The current law does not hold health care
13providers and medical interpretation service companies
14accountable for failing to work with qualified or certified
15interpreters or for failing to work with best practices in
16providing medical interpretation services; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
18HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
19SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Statewide Task Force on
20Limited English Proficient Patient Access to Quality
21Interpreter Services is hereby created to provide
22recommendations regarding access to quality interpreting

 

 

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1services for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients; and
2be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall focus on issues
4including, but not limited to:
5        (1) The barriers preventing LEP patients from
6    accessing quality interpreting services;
7        (2) The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic relating to
8    its effects on access to quality interpreter services;
9        (3) Issues concerning funding for services and
10    reimbursement for health care providers;
11        (4) The number and quality of certified interpreters;
12        (5) Effective communication of the law to health care
13    providers; and
14        (6) Creating a plan for realistic enforcement of
15    violations of the Language Assistance Services Act; and be
16    it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
18following voting members, who shall have racial, ethnic,
19gender, and geographic diversity and include the following:
20        (1) One member appointed by the Director of the
21    Illinois Department of Public Health, who shall serve as
22    chair;
23        (2) Two members of the House of Representatives, one
24    appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by

 

 

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1    the House Minority Leader;
2        (3) Two members of the Senate, one appointed by the
3    President of the Senate and one appointed by the Senate
4    Minority Leader;
5        (4) One member of the Governor's policy leadership
6    team appointed by the Governor; and
7        (5) 16 public members appointed by the Task Force
8    chair:
9                (a) 8 members who should equitably represent
10        the following groups:
11                        (i) An association that advocates on
12            behalf of the health of the Chinese-American
13            community;
14                        (ii) An association that advocates on
15            behalf of the health of the Hispanic/Latino
16            community; and
17                        (iii) An association that advocates on
18            behalf of the health of the midwest Asian-American
19            community;
20                (b) Three members who are nationally board
21        certified medical interpreters who can highlight
22        challenges as well as opportunities for State action
23        to enhance the number of nationally board certified
24        medical interpreters;
25                (c) One member from an association that
26        advocates on behalf of hospitals and health care

 

 

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1        providers;
2                (d) One member from an association that
3        advocates on behalf of civil rights;
4                (e) One member from the Illinois Department of
5        Healthcare and Family Services who deals primarily
6        with non-English speaking residents;
7                (f) One member from the Illinois Department of
8        Human Services who is knowledgeable on how LEP affects
9        rural, low income families; and
10                (g) One physician licensed by the State whose
11        practice focuses on emergency medicine and can speak
12        to the importance of quality communication as it
13        relates to emergency medicine; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall have all appointments
15made within 30 days of the adoption of this resolution; and be
16it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Task Force members shall receive no
18compensation for their service but may receive reimbursement
19for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their
20duties, subject to the availability of funds for that purpose;
21and be it further
 
22    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health
23shall provide administrative support for the Task Force; and

 

 

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1be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet at the call of the
3chair and then shall meet at least monthly until it completes
4its work; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit its final
6report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than
7January 1, 2025, and, upon the filing of its final report, is
8dissolved; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10delivered to the Director of the Illinois Department of Public
11Health, the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader,
12the President of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, and
13the Governor.