Advocates tell joint committee to require language access across state agencies

Dozens of advocates, legal-aid groups and municipal officials told the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Wednesday that the Commonwealth must require state agencies to provide routine language access services, including interpretation and translated vital documents.

The testimony focused on House bill H.3384 and Senate bill S.2125, “An Act relative to language access and inclusion,” which would require a set of public-facing state agencies to create language access plans, hire full-time coordinators, translate vital documents and form a community advisory board. Leila Ramachandran, policy director for the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission, told the committee that about 30 percent of Massachusetts households speak a language other than English and that the commission supports a statutory approach to ensure consistent services across agencies.

Mass Appleseed’s Nadia Roman, who co-chairs the Mass Speaks Coalition, described specific findings from agency-focused reviews, including the Department of Children and Families. “In our 2021 report, an interpreter was present in only 25 percent of LEP home visits,” Roman said, and follow-up surveys found key documents “were never translated,” leaving families unable to meaningfully participate in processes. Kate Cressy of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute highlighted recent federal policy changes and said the state should act now to preserve access: “Recent federal actions have begun to erode the protections afforded to individuals with limited English proficiency,” she said, referencing a March 2025 federal executive order that rescinded prior federal guidance.

Speakers from domestic-violence programs, community colleges, public health projects and municipal governments gave examples of how lack of language access delays care, increases risk and shifts translation burdens to nonprofit advocates and family members. Dawn Salma of the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence said multilingual staff spend substantial portions of their work time bridging language gaps created by state systems, and that survivors often must rely on advocates to interpret. Miriam Barrett Krugman of Mass Appleseed described DCF findings that LEP parents often wait longer for services and face disproportionate risk of family separation.

Supporters requested the bill initially apply to five large, public-facing agencies before expanding statewide, and emphasized implementation details the bill requires, including data collection, training, and community input. Several witnesses said state executive orders and agency guidance represent important steps but lack the enforceable standards and funding mechanisms the commission bill would create.

Committee members asked for implementation details and whether agencies could meet the standards immediately. Witnesses urged phased implementation and dedicated funding for coordinators and training. No final committee vote was taken; the hearing closed by general consent.

Why it matters: Advocates said statutory language access would reduce inequities in health care, benefits, education and public safety by ensuring residents who are better served in languages other than English can access critical services without relying on ad hoc community translation or children as interpreters.

The committee will consider written materials and may request follow‑up cost and implementation analyses before reporting the bill out of committee.