BILL NUMBER: S6766
SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to providing language
translation services to accommodate census self-reporting
 
PURPOSE::
Requires the Department of State to identify existing translation
services and identify expanded translation services to be utilized as
census related translation services.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1. Amends the Executive Law by adding a new section 154, to
extend existing translation services to state agencies and localities,
for purposes of census self-reporting; and to expand upon those trans-
lation services to include, at a minimum, all languages used in census
self-reporting forms.
Section 2. Provides for the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION::
Although the Census Bureau provides language support in over 50
languages and provides self-reporting forms in 12 languages, New Yorkers
speak over 200 languages, and those with limited or no English profi-
ciency are at high risk of not being counted in the census. According to
the American Survey, at least 113,000 New Yorkers speak a language at
home that will not be supported by the Census Bureau's translation
Adequate statewide translation services will be essential in ensuring an
accurate census count of New Yorkers with limited or no English profi-
ciency. For this reason, it is critical for the state to identify any
existing language translation services, to use those services in accom-
modating census self-reporting, and in addition, provide expanded trans-
lation services, to assist with census self-reporting in at least all
the languages that the questionnaire will be translated into.
To effectively utilize these services throughout the state, this legis-
lation requires state agencies and localities notify the public of the
availability of these services by posting information online, working
with any relevant organizations to reach limited or non-English profi-
cient speakers, and by any other identified effective means. Addi- tion-
ally, to improve translation services for use in later decennial census-
es, the proposal requires the Department of State provide a report each
year following a decennial census in the prior year's use of these
services, along with recommendations,
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
SENATE:
2022 - S 6777-A (Salazar) - Referred to Finance, reported, passed
Senate, vetoed (memo 98).
2021 - S 6777 (Salazar) - Referred to Finance, discharged to Rules,
passed Senate.
2019-2020 - S 6897-A (Salazar) - Referred to Finance, reported, passed
Senate.
ASSEMBLY:
2022 - A 7132-A (Reyes) Referred to Government Operations, reported,
passed Assembly, vetoed (memo 98).
2021 - A 7132 (Reyes) Referred to Government Operations, reported.
2020 - A 9928 (Reyes) Referred to Government Operations.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE::
Effective immediately.