Rep. William Delgado

Filed: 5/31/2005

 

 


 

 


 
09400SB0334ham001 LRB094 05047 BDD 47460 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 334

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 334 by replacing
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     "Executive branch State agency" means each Department of
8 State government created under the Civil Administrative Code of
9 Illinois.
10     "Having limited English proficiency" means indicated on
11 the U.S. Census as speaking a language other than English and
12 speaking English "not well" or "not at all".
13     "Important documents" means application or informational
14 materials, notices, and complaint forms offered by executive
15 branch State agencies, as defined by rule by the appropriate
16 executive branch State agency. "Important documents" does not
17 include applications and examinations related to the
18 licensure, certification, or registration of businesses and
19 professionals.
20     "Sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in
21 public contact positions" means the number of qualified
22 bilingual persons required in order to provide the same level
23 of service to non-English-speaking persons as is available to
24 English-speaking persons seeking the same service.
 

 

 

09400SB0334ham001 - 2 - LRB094 05047 BDD 47460 a

1     Section 10. Language access required.
2     (a) Each executive branch State agency shall take
3 reasonable steps to provide the following in each county where
4 the number of residents in a single language group is more than
5 5% of all residents of that county as measured by the U.S.
6 Census:
7         (1) Having a sufficient number of qualified bilingual
8     persons in public contact positions or as interpreters in
9     at least one office in the county, determined by the agency
10     to be in an area of need, to assist in providing services
11     to individuals having limited English proficiency.
12         (2) Having available in at least one office in the
13     county, determined by the agency to be in an area of need,
14     personnel to interpret, upon request, important documents
15     ordinarily provided to the public.
16     Nothing in this Act requires an executive branch State
17 agency to establish an office in a county where it would not
18 otherwise maintain an office.
19     (b) Each executive branch State agency shall adopt rules
20 regarding the requirements of this Section not less than 6
21 months after the date that this Act takes effect, or as soon
22 thereafter as possible.
23     (c) The Illinois Human Rights Commission shall implement a
24 process to address disputes arising under this Act, including,
25 but not limited to, disputes concerning the interpretation of
26 "important documents" and "sufficient number of qualified
27 bilingual persons in public contact positions" and agency
28 determinations of the offices where the services are provided,
29 not less than 6 months after the date that this Act takes
30 effect, or as soon thereafter as possible.".