L.L. 2017/030

Enactment date: 3/18/2017  

Int. No. 1181-A

By the Speaker (Council Member Mark-Viverito) and Council Members Chin, Mendez, Koo, Rosenthal, Kallos, Menchaca, Levine, Salamanca, Levin and Treyger

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to improving access to city services for limited English proficiency individuals

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Declaration of legislative findings and intent. The city recognizes that a large percentage of its inhabitants speak languages other than English and that the well-being and safety of the city as a whole is put in jeopardy if the people of the city are unable to access city services or effectively communicate with city agencies. The city further recognizes that effective language access is a tool to promote equity in economic opportunity, education, health, civic participation, and all other aspects of the life of the city, and that it is a necessary component of city agencies' ability to accomplish their mandates. It is therefore desirable that the city promote the utilization of city services by all its residents, including speakers of languages other than English.

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[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

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§ 6. By May 15, 2017, the office of the language services coordinator shall make a preliminary assessment, based on the best available data, of the ten limited English proficiency languages likely to be the designated citywide languages when section 2 of this local law takes effect, and report the results of that preliminary assessment to the speaker and the mayor.

§ 7. This local law takes effect on July 1, 2017, except that section 6 shall take effect immediately.