New Jersey § 52:14-43

§ 52:14-43.

a. Each State government entity in the Executive Branch that provides direct services

to the public, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, Department of

Law and Public Safety, and Office of Information Technology, shall develop and publish

a language access plan that shall reflect how the entity will comply with the provisions

of this act, P.L.2023, c. 263 ( C.52:14-40 et seq. ), and document all progress since it last submitted a language access plan. The State government entity shall issue the language access plan required by this

section within one year of the effective date of this act, 1 and shall update and publish the plan every three years thereafter. The State government entity shall also post the language access plan on the entity's

website. The State government entity shall consult with community or stakeholder entities

representing limited-English proficient populations in drafting and updating the plan. b. Each language access plan shall set forth, at a minimum: (1) when and by what means the government entity will provide or is already providing

language assistance services; (2) how the government entity intends to keep track of the limited-English proficient

population requesting interpretation and translation services, and how the government

entity determines the need for language assistance services for the limited-English

proficient population; (3) a report on the frequency of requests for language assistance services, how the

requests were met, whether language assistance services were requested in languages

other than the required seven, and how the government entity intends to notify the

limited-English proficient populations of the available language assistance services; (4) how the government entity documents the actual provision of language assistance

services to individuals with limited-English proficiency; (5) a training plan for government entity employees who will be involved in the implementation

of this act which includes, at minimum, annual training on the language access policies

of the government entity, how to provide language assistance services, and follow

any applicable State and federal confidentially protocols; (6) a plan for how the agency will ensure the provision of language assistance services

of the highest quality and in a culturally competent manner; (7) the manner and means by which the public may contact the entity's language access

coordinator regarding language access issues; (8) the titles of all available translated documents and the languages into which

they have been translated; (9) a website and document content describing the translation services, processes,

and documents required by this act; and (10) a plan for annual internal monitoring of the government entity's compliance with

this act. c. As part of the development of the initial language access plan required by this

section, each State government entity shall assess the interpretation needs of members

of the public with limited English proficiency that the entity serves, estimate the

cost associated with providing interpretation services to those individuals, and incorporate

the provision of interpretation services into the entity's language access plan. d. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, if a State government

entity already has a language access plan on the effective date of this act, the State

government entity may continue to use that language access plan and may adjust that

plan in accordance with the provisions of this section. A State government entity shall be permitted to retain any additional languages

already included in an existing language access plan. e. Each State government entity that provides direct services to the public shall

designate a senior-level employee to serve as a language access coordinator to oversee

the development and implementation of the entity's language access plan and compliance

with the provisions of this act. 1

L.2023, c. 263, eff. Jan. 12, 2024.