BILL NUMBER: AB 1127	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 2, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 21, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chau

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to add Section 68567 to the Government Code, relating to
courts.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1127, as amended, Chau. Courts: California Language Access Task
Force.
   Existing law requires, when a witness is incapable of
understanding the English language or expressing himself or herself
in the English language so as to be understood directly by counsel,
court, and jury, an interpreter to be sworn to interpret for him or
her. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to conduct a study of
language and interpreter use and need in court proceedings, with
commentary, and to report its findings and recommendations to the
Governor and to the Legislature every 5 years. Existing law requires
that this study serve as the basis for determining the need to
establish interpreter programs and certification and for establishing
these programs and examinations through the normal budgetary
process.
   This bill would, on or before March 1, 2014, require the Judicial
Council to establish the California Language Access Task Force, 
as specified,  which would be responsible for developing a
comprehensive statewide Language Access Plan (LAP) for use by courts
to address the needs of  all  limited-English-proficient
individuals    in conformance with state and federal law
 . The bill would require the task force to, among other
things, establish standards for meaningful and timely  access
to   provision of  language services in all court
proceedings and at all public points of contact within the courts,
and to establish a statewide plan to provide for the translation of
court documents using competent and qualified interpreters.  The
bill would require the Judicial Council to adopt a statewide LAP on
or before   December 31, 2014.  The bill would also
make related legislative findings and declarations.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature hereby finds and declares the
following:
   (a) California is one of the most linguistically diverse states in
the nation. As language diversity continues to increase, there is a
greater need to ensure that all Californians have meaningful access
to the court system.
   (b) There continues to be a need to expand and improve California'
s ability to provide language assistance within the judicial system.
   (c) Currently, California has not developed a statewide plan to
address the needs of limited-English-proficient individuals in all
court proceedings and at all public points of contact within our
courts.
  SEC. 2.  Section 68567 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   68567.  (a) On or before March 1, 2014, the Judicial Council shall
establish the California Language Access Task Force, which shall be
responsible for developing a comprehensive statewide Language Access
Plan (LAP) for use by courts to address the needs of  all 
limited-English-proficient individuals    in conformance
with state and federal law  . 
   (b) The task force shall include court executive officers,
presiding judges, interpreter coordinators, interpreters, at least
two of whom shall be nominated by an exclusive representative of
interpreter employees, representatives of legal services
organizations and organizations representing individuals with limited
English proficiency, and others the Judicial Council determines
necessary. The task force shall also include a representative from a
rural community in order to highlight the particular challenges of
providing court interpreter services in rural communities. 

   (b) 
    (c)  In developing the LAP, the task force shall do all
of the following:
   (1) Establish standards for meaningful and timely  access
to   provision of  language services in all court
proceedings and at all public points of contact within the courts.
   (2) Establish procedures for gathering comprehensive data on the
language access needs of court users, including, but not limited to,
providing a means of registering an individual's language needs in
court documents. These procedures should provide metrics on the need
for interpreter services in court proceedings and ancillary programs
and services.
   (3) Review current court interpreter procedures and recommend
improvements or additional procedures to provide the most competent
interpreter services to limited-English-proficient court users and to
ensure compliance with Rule 2.890 of the California Rules of Court.
   (4) Review current court procedures and recommend improvements or
additional procedures to maximize existing language resources,
including bilingual staff, court interpreters, translators, and other
resources shared among courts to expand access to language services
at all public points of contact within the courts.
   (5) Review current practices and develop strategies to provide
interpreter services that comply with the Trial Court Interpreter
Employment and Labor Relations Act  (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with
Section 71800) of Title 8)  in all court proceedings. The
review may include the evaluation of any programs providing
interpreters in domestic violence cases or other civil cases,
including any pilot projects.
   (6) Establish a statewide plan to provide for the translation of
court documents using competent and qualified interpreters.
   (7) Establish a plan to provide education and training to judicial
officers, court personnel, and court-appointed professionals on the
legal requirements for language access, court policies and rules
pertaining to language access, language service provider
qualifications, ethics pertaining to interpreter services, the
effective use of translated court documents, and effective techniques
for working with language service providers.
   (8) Review and consider the American Bar Association's Standards
for Language Access in Courts, as adopted February 2012. 
   (9) The Judicial Council shall adopt a statewide LAP on or before
December 31, 2014.