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Board approves pilot to provide Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese interpretation at supervisor meetings
Summary
The board approved on first reading a pilot program requiring the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs to provide Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese interpretation at Board of Supervisors meetings and to translate certain hearing notices and introduced legislation; the pilot will run through July 2016 and includes evaluation provisions.
The Board on July 14 approved on first reading an ordinance that creates a pilot program to provide interpretation in Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese at Board of Supervisors meetings and requires translation of certain legislative notices.
Supervisor Norman Yee, the ordinance’s sponsor, said the pilot will make board meetings more accessible to residents with limited English proficiency and strengthen civic participation. He described the current practice — which accommodates requests made 48 hours in advance — as insufficient for in-meeting interpretation needs and said the pilot will also require translation of materials such as hearing notices in targeted cases.
The proposal includes funding for additional staff in the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OSEIA) to provide the service. After discussion about evaluation and capacity, supervisors amended the timeline for the department’s white-paper or evaluation deliverable to nine months to allow the Planning Department and OSEIA time to set protocols and staffing. The board took the amendment without objection and moved the ordinance on first reading unanimously.
Supervisor Ahsha Safaí (via remarks in support) and others praised the measure as consistent with San Francisco’s longstanding language-access policies and said it will help limited-English speakers engage with city government.
The pilot is intended to run through July 2016; OSEIA will coordinate with the Clerk’s Office to set expectations, staffing and methods for when interpreters will be available and how translated notices will be provided.
