Read the full stored bill text
MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
July 1, 2026
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Enclosed for consideration and adoption by the Council of the District of Columbia are the
"Language Access Rulemaking Authority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026",
"Language Access Rulemaking Authority Emergency Amendment Act of 2026", "Language
Access Rulemaking Authority Temporary Amendment Act of2026", and "Language Access
Rulemaking Act of 2026".
The proposed legislation amends the Language Access Act of 2004 to authorize the Mayor to
issue rules to implement the act.
My administration is available to answer any questions you may have regarding this legislation.
In order to facilitate a response to any question you may have, please contact Elizabeth Fox
Solomon, Interim Director, OHR, at (202) 727-4559, or at elizabeth.fox-solomon@dc.gov.
I urge the Council to take prompt and favorable action on the enclosed legislation.
l
2
3
4
5
6
7
s
9
1l0
n
]2
B
14
]5
~~ ,, ,.., __ • p,L=~ M ·--...:i-1 ,,;.;,m1mnan w1 • • .C'illl.dson
at the 1equ.est of the· Mayor
ABTII.
INiTHE UOUNCil. . OF 'IlIE DISTRICT OF COLUArlBIA
1l6 To amelld, on an emergency basis, tlhe ~ .A.ccess Aot of:2004 to amhorize fire Mayor to
]7 iiHue ru]es to ·unpleme111t the prowions of that act
1l9 BE IT EN\ACTED BY 'IHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLIDdBIA, 'Tlmt flu
20 act may be cited as the ••Language Acoess Rul1emaki!Dg Authority Emergency Ame:ndmemt Act of
21 2006,".
22
23 Sec. 2. Section 6 o,fthe Language .Aocess Actof2004 ~ effective Irune UJ. 2004 (D.C. Law
24 l.S-167; D.C . Official Code§ 2-19·35). is a.mmded iby adding a n9r mbseclion (c) to read as
2:5 follows:
26 '"(c) 'The Mayor, pmmant to Title I of the Dimict ofColumooaAdmmisbativeProoednre
27 Act, approi.,"ed Oct,ober 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D . .C. Offi'Cial Code § 2-501 et .s:eq.), shaU issue
28 ru]es to implement the provisions of this act.".
29 Sec . .3. Applicability.
30 This act ,smill apply as of June· H), 2004 ..
31 :Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement
32 The Council adopts. tlhe fiscal impact ;statement of the Chief Financial Oflice.r as fire fiscal
1
2
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 33
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 34
Sec. 5. Effective date. 35
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 36
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 37
90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 38
412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; 39
D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)). 40
Government of the District of Columbia
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Glen Lee
Chief Financial Officer
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20004 (202)727 -2476
www.cfo.dc.gov
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia
FROM: Glen Lee
Chief Financial Officer
DATE: June 10, 2026
SUBJECT: Fiscal Impact Statement – Language Access Rulemaking Authority
Amendment Act of 2026 (and accompanying emergency and temporary
versions)
REFERENCE: Draft bill as provided to the Office of Revenue Analysis on June 8, 2026
Conclusion
Funds are sufficient in the proposed revised fiscal year 2026 and proposed fiscal year 2027 through
fiscal year 2030 budget and financial plan to implement the bill. The Mayor and the Office of Human
Rights (OHR) can implement the bill within current resources.
Background
The Language Access Act of 2004 1 requires equal access and participation in public services,
programs, and activities for District residents with limited or no English proficiency by obligating
agencies to assess language needs and provide oral interpretation and written translation services.
District agencies must translate documents into any non‑English language spoken by at least 3% or
500 people within the population they serve. Agencies with major public contact 2 must create a
1 Effective June 19, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-167; D.C. Official Code § 2-1901 et seq).
2 Agencies with major public contact include: (i) Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration; D.C.
Health; Department of Behavioral Health; Department of Human Services; Department of Employment
Services; Fire and Emergency Medical Services; District of Columbia Housing Authority; D.C. Water; District of
Columbia general ambulatory and emergency care centers; Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Agency; Metropolitan Police Department; District of Columbia Public Schools; Department of Motor Vehicles;
Department of Housing and Community Development; Department of Public Works; Department of
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
FIS: “Language Access Rulemaking Authority Amendment Act of 2026” (and accompanying emergency and
temporary versions), Draft Bill as provided to the Office of Revenue Analysis on June 8, 2026
Page 2 of 2
Language Access Plan and appoint a language access coordinator. OHR oversees compliance with the
law through the statutorily established Language Access Director.
The Language Access Director3 is responsible for reviewing each agency’s Language Access Plan to
• Ensure the respective plans follow District law and federal civil rights4 requirements;
• Tracking, investigating, and addressing public complaints about language access violations,
including issuing written findings when agencies fail to comply;
• Monitoring the performance of each agency’s language access coordinator;
• Consulting with language access coordinators, the D .C. Language Access Coalition and
agencies that conduct outreach to limited‑ or non‑English‑speaking communities;
• Serving as OHR’s Language Access Coordinator; and
• Recommending additional agencies to be designated as covered entities, through regulations
issued by the Mayor, and after consultation with the DC Language Access Coalition.
The bill extends5 the Mayor’s authority to issue rules to implement provisions of the Language Access
Act.
The Emergency Amendment is effective for no more than 90 days. The Temporary Amendment
would expire 225 days post effective date.
Financial Plan Impact
Funds are sufficient in the proposed revised fiscal year 2026 and proposed fiscal year 2027 through
fiscal year 20 30 budget and financial plan to implement the bill. The bill provides rulemaking
authority and does not impose new operational requirements, staffing needs, programs, services, or
compliance activities beyond those required by existing law. The Mayor and OHR can implement the
bill within current resources.
Corrections; Department of Aging and Community Living; District of Columbia Public Library; Department of
Parks and Recreation; Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection; Child and Family Services Agency;
Office of Human Rights; Office of Planning; Office of Contracting and Procurement; Office of the Chief Financial
Officer; and Office of the People’s Counsel.
3 D.C. Official Code § 2–1935.
4 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, approved July 2, 1964 (78 Stat. 252; 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d through
2000d-7).
5 Section § 2 of Language Access Rulemaking Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 , effective December 31,
2025 (D.C. Law 26-79; 72 DCR 12892) will expire on August 13, 2026.
2
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
BRIAN L. SCHWALB PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
LEGAL COUNSEL DIVISION
MEMORANDUM
TO: Tomás Talamante
Director
Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs
FROM: Adele El-Khouri
Deputy Attorney General
Legal Counsel Division
DATE: June 5, 2026
SUBJECT: Legal Sufficiency Review of Draft “Language Access Rulemaking Authority
Emergency Amendment Act of 2026,” “Language Access Rulemaking Authority
Temporary Amendment Act of 2026,” “Language Access Rulemaking Authority
Amendment Act of 2026,” and “Language Access Rulemaking Authority Emergency
Declaration Resolution of 2026”
(AE-26-248)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This is to Certify that this Office has reviewed the above-referenced draft
legislation and found it to be legally sufficient. If you have any questions in this regard, please do
not hesitate to call me at (202) 262-6402.
_________________________________
Adele El-Khouri