BILL NUMBER: AB 781	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 29, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 21, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 13, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jeffries

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to add Sections 7294.1 and 7299.7 to the Government Code,
relating to bilingual services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 781, as amended, Jeffries. Bilingual services.
   Existing law, the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act,
requires every state agency, except as specified, that is directly
involved in the furnishing of information or the rendering of
services to the public whereby contact is made with a substantial
number of non-English speaking people  ,  to employ a
sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in public contact
positions. Existing law also requires that any materials explaining
services available to the public be translated into any non-English
language spoken by a substantial number of the public served by the
agency. Existing law imposes specified reporting requirements related
to these provisions.
   This bill would prohibit a state or local agency from imposing or
implementing an action or decision pursuant to these provisions as a
pretext for discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, or
other unlawful discrimination in employment, including any
requirement that an employee be bilingual, as specified. The bill
would also require that all information and reports required by the
provisions of existing law described above  shall 
be public information unless otherwise restricted by law.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 7294.1 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   7294.1.  No state or local agency shall impose or implement an
action or decision pursuant to this chapter  , including any
requirement that an employee be bilingual,  as a pretext for
discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, or other
unlawful discrimination in employment  , including any
requirement that an employee be bilingual  . An action or
decision taken for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of this
chapter shall not be considered a pretext for discrimination.
  SEC. 2.  Section 7299.7 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   7299.7.  All information and reports required by this chapter
shall be public information unless otherwise restricted by law.