This bill would require the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) to complete a study regarding its ability to provide access to language classes for any child between the ages of 3 years and 12 years who was removed from the custody of parents or guardians that are limited English proficient individuals and who has been in the custody of ACS for at least 6 months. The bill would also require ACS initiate a process to identify and track whether parents or guardians of children in foster care are limited English proficient individuals.
- Enacted
History
Affirmative
- Adrienne E. Adams
- Inez D. Barron
- Joseph C. Borelli
- James G. Van Bramer
- Fernando Cabrera
- Margaret S. Chin
- Andrew Cohen
- Costa G. Constantinides
- Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.
- Elizabeth S. Crowley
- Laurie A. Cumbo
- Chaim M. Deutsch
- Daniel Dromm
- Rafael L. Espinal, Jr.
- Mathieu Eugene
- Daniel R. Garodnick
- Vincent J. Gentile
- Vanessa L. Gibson
- David G. Greenfield
- Barry S. Grodenchik
- Corey D. Johnson
- Ben Kallos
- Andy L. King
- Peter A. Koo
- Karen Koslowitz
- Rory I. Lancman
- Brad S. Lander
- Stephen T. Levin
- Mark Levine
- Alan N. Maisel
- Melissa Mark-Viverito
- Steven Matteo
- Carlos Menchaca
- I. Daneek Miller
- Annabel Palma
- Bill Perkins
- Antonio Reynoso
- Donovan J. Richards
- Ydanis A. Rodriguez
- Deborah L. Rose
- Helen K. Rosenthal
- Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
- Ritchie J. Torres
- Mark Treyger
- Eric A. Ulrich
- James Vacca
- Jumaane D. Williams
Affirmative
Absent
Int. No. 1062-A
Council Members Chin, Menchaca, Johnson, Koo, Vacca, Rosenthal, Levin, Kallos, Treyger and Ulrich
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a study on the feasibility of providing language classes to certain children in foster care
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 9 of title 21 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to add a new section 21-918 to read as follows:
§ 21-918 Language study. a. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
Limited English proficient individual. The term “limited English proficient individual” means an individual who identifies as being, or is evidently, unable to communicate meaningfully in English.
Primary language. The term “primary language” means the language in which a limited English proficient individual chooses to communicate with others.
b. By January 1, 2019, ACS shall complete a study regarding its ability to provide access to language classes for any child between the ages of 3 years and 12 years who, pursuant to article 10 of the family court act, was removed from the custody of parents or guardians who are limited English proficient individuals and who has been in the custody of ACS for at least 6 months. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to:
1. The number of such children in the foster care system;
2. The languages spoken by such children;
3. The languages spoken by the individuals from whom such children were removed;
4. Strategies to assess the language needs of such children; and
5. Barriers to addressing such language needs.
c. The department shall report its findings from its language study to the speaker of the council and post a copy of the report on the ACS website by July 1, 2019.
d. As part of the study required pursuant to subdivision c of this section, ACS shall initiate a process to identify and track whether parents or guardians of children removed pursuant to article 10 of the family court act are limited English proficient individuals. If such process is not in place at the time the report required pursuant to subdivision c of this section is complete, such report will include an explanation of the barriers to initiating such process.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law and is deemed repealed after the posting and submission of the report due July 1, 2019, required by subdivision b of section 21-918 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by section one of this local law.
AV
LS 5991
12/1/17, 7.43pm