LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The City Council Wednesday called for the development of a plan to increase language accessibility in an effort to encourage more residents to engage with city government.
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The council voted 14-0, with Councilman Bob Blumenfield absent during the vote, to instruct the Community Investment for Families Department and other relevant departments to bring back recommendations in 60 days for a "Los Angeles City Council Language Justice Plan."
"There are over 200 languages spoken in Los Angeles and over half of Angelenos, over the age of five, speak a language other than English at home," said Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who introduced the motion on July 5. "This step is long overdue. Our residents have to struggle with accessing or weighing in on city policies, simply because of the language they speak."
The plan calls for language accessibility options for the Council Fire Management System, agendas and similar public documents, and multilingual interpreter services for city council and committee meetings, and other meetings with elected offices and their staff.
City staff will also explore funding recommendations to support the plan.
The motion also instructs the Community Investment for Families Department to consult with indigenous community groups, disability justice groups and other community-based language advocates and consultants to improve language accessibility.
According to Hernandez, the language plan expands on the work of former Mayor Eric Garcetti's executive directive No. 32, which called for the creation of a citywide language access plan and specific language access plans for each city department.
The intent of the directive was to ensure city services were accessible to speakers of all languages, Hernandez said, adding that the City Council was not directly named as a body that "required its own language access plan" despite council meetings being a "significant way that many Angelenos interact with the city."
Hernandez added, "I truly, sincerely wish that we acknowledge the incredible diversity and ensures that City Hall truly reflects the tapestry of language and culture that makes up L.A."
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