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Senate expands state language-access requirements to all agencies
Summary
The New York State Senate approved a bill broadening language-access services to all state agencies and allowing regional tailoring of languages.
The New York State Senate on April 1, 2025, passed legislation extending language-access requirements to all state agencies and allowing agencies to tailor services to the languages most used in each region.
Senator Baskin explained the measure on the floor, saying it expands an earlier law that applied only to agencies under the governor’s purview. The bill requires agencies to provide, in addition to the top 12 statewide languages, the top three languages prominent in a given region; where no dominant local language exists, the requirement is limited to two additional languages.
Senator Baskin said the change aims to help non-English-speaking residents access services, navigate job listings, and reduce the burden on children who serve as informal interpreters. She told colleagues, “This bill recognizes the diversity of New Yorkers, but also that legislation cannot be one size fits all.”
The chapter vote was announced as aye 51, nay 11 on the calendar roll call recorded in the chamber; the clerk announced the measure as passed. The sponsor described examples of regionally prominent languages, including Burmese, Somali and Swahili in Western New York, and said the bill tailors requirements to local needs.
