San Francisco Language Access Ordinance
LANGUAGE ACCESS LAWS
San Francisco Language Access Ordinance
There are more than 40 language access laws in existence in 40 states and local jurisdictions across the United States . San Franciscans have had a local language access law since 2001 , when the City and County of San Francisco ( the City ) adopted its first language access policy as the Equal Access to Services Ordinance . The City amended the ordinance in 2009 , renaming it the Language Access Ordinance ( LAO ) and designating the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs ( OCEIA ) as the Department responsible for oversight of the City ’ s compliance with the policy . The LAO was amended again in 2015 and 2024 .
LANGUAGE ACCESS LAWS
FEDERAL
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Executive Order 13166
STATE
Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act
Unruh Civil Rights Act
Government Code § 11135
The LAO requires all public-serving San Francisco City departments to provide equal access to information and services for Limited English Proficient ( LEP ) individuals . This means Departments must inform members of the public that they have the right to language services and must deliver the same quality of information and services to LEP individuals as they provide to English speakers . In addition , Departments must track their language access activities and report compliance data on an annual basis . OCEIA staff members are available throughout the year to provide language access tools and guidance to Departments .
6