(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date ) Sec. 2.47. Language accessibility.
(a)As used in this Section: "Limited English proficient individual" means an individual who does not speak English as the individual's primary language and who has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. "Major languages" means a language with at least 50,000 native speakers in Illinois based on the last decennial census. "Qualified interpreter" or "qualified translator" means an individual proficient in both English and the non-English language used by the limited English proficient individual, with demonstrated ability to interpret or translate accurately and impartially. "Vital documents" means materials critical for obtaining services or understan
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(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date ) Sec. 2.47. Language accessibility. (a) As used in this Section: "Limited English proficient individual" means an individual who does not speak English as the individual's primary language and who has a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. "Major languages" means a language with at least 50,000 native speakers in Illinois based on the last decennial census. "Qualified interpreter" or "qualified translator" means an individual proficient in both English and the non-English language used by the limited English proficient individual, with demonstrated ability to interpret or translate accurately and impartially. "Vital documents" means materials critical for obtaining services or understanding rider rights, including fare schedules, safety information, service announcements, and notices of rights or responsibilities. (b) The Authority and all Service Boards shall: (1) arrange for a qualified translator to translate all vital documents into all major languages; (2) provide oral interpretation services in major languages spoken by limited English proficient individuals by a qualified interpreter at customer service centers, by multilingual phone lines, or through on-demand interpreter services; (3) post multilingual signage in major languages spoken by limited English proficient individuals, including "I Speak" language identification posters, in major transit hubs and vehicles; and (4) include translation features in major languages spoken by limited English proficient individuals for digital platforms, applications, and real-time service updates. (c) No later than January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, the Authority, in coordination with the Service Boards, shall develop and implement, and update every 3 years thereafter, a language access plan. The language access plan shall: (1) identify limited English proficient populations in the metropolitan area, based on census, rider surveys, and community input; (2) describe language assistance services currently provided; (3) implement a timeline for improvements and expansion of language assistance services; and (4) designate staff responsible for compliance and monitoring. (d) The Authority and all Service Boards shall conduct regular outreach to limited English proficient communities through culturally competent community organizations and ethnic media and include limited English proficient riders in service planning, language access evaluations, and public engagement sessions. (e) The Authority shall develop and make available to all frontline and customer-facing staff training on legal obligations under federal law, proper use of language services, and cultural competency best practices. The Service Boards shall make best efforts to ensure that all new hires and existing customer-facing employees complete the training. (f) No later than January 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, each Service Board shall submit annual language access progress reports to the Authority. (g) The Authority shall conduct an annual compliance review of at least one Service Board.