Bill Text: NJ A4812 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires each State agency make State forms, applications, and other documents available in certain languages, including Gujarati, Korean, and Punjabi.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-10-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A4812 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4812-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Requires each State agency make State forms, applications, and other documents available in certain languages, including Gujarati, Korean, and Punjabi.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning State forms and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"State agency" means any principal department in the Executive Branch of State government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by such department, and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, on or after the effective date of this act, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), all forms, applications, or any other written or electronic documents furnished to the public for official business by a State agency shall be made available in at least the five most commonly spoken languages in this State, based on the most recent federal decennial census data. A State agency shall also furnish forms, applications, or any other written or electronic documents in Gujarati, Korean, and Punjabi, upon request.
c. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following enactment, except the Secretary of State may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires all forms, applications, or any other written or electronic documents furnished to the public for official business by a State agency to be made available in at least the five most commonly spoken languages in this State, based on the most recent federal decennial census data. A State agency is also required to furnish forms, applications, or any other written or electronic documents in Gujarati, Korean, and Punjabi, upon request.
As used in bill,
"State agency" means any principal department in the Executive Branch of State government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by such department, and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency.
