REPORT SUMMARY
The 2024 Language Access Compliance Summary Report included federal and state language access legislation updates . This year ’ s report focuses on San Francisco ’ s Language Access Ordinance ( LAO ) and the amendments the Board of Supervisors passed in 2024 to strengthen language access .
The report also provides an overview of the language access activities that have taken place in San Francisco over the past fiscal year . This includes City departments ’ selfreported compliance data and recommendations on ways the City can improve the multilingual accessibility of Department programs and services , along with tools and resources to support Departments in their compliance work .
The LAO amendments aim to improve the ways the City supports Limited English Proficient ( LEP ) community members . Some key changes include lowering the threshold for required languages from 10,000 to 6,000 LEP individuals , acknowledging receipt of translation requests within 48 hours and sharing an update on the anticipated completion time , and continuing to translate vital information , including digital media and signage . Along with these , OCEIA must create a “ Know Your Rights ” brochure and disseminate it to Departments to post in their offices . OCEIA will also create a website to provide updates on language access complaints and report back on a quarterly basis to the Board of Supervisors and the Immigrant Rights Commission .
This report ’ s recommendations focus on strategies Departments can use to implement the amendments and improve their compliance with the LAO in the year ahead . They take into consideration multiple sources of information , such as Departments ’ compliance data , feedback from community-based organizations , and supplemental data sources like language access complaints . This year ’ s recommendations include how to improve City departments ’ staff hiring and training practices , language services budgeting and planning , data collection methods , and language access capacity .
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