CA AB1242

Expands the definition of "substantial number of non-English-speaking people" under the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act to include the higher of either people currently served or people eligible to be served by state agencies

Requires state agencies to conduct language needs assessments using census data, community input, and other databases to identify non-English-speaking and limited-English-speaking populations in their service areas

Mandates the California Health and Human Services Agency to designate a Language Access Director responsible for overseeing Language Access Plans, coordinating language assistance services, and ensuring use of qualified interpreters and translators

Requires each department and office within the California Health and Human Services Agency to develop a Language Access Plan that includes methods to identify individuals needing language assistance, staff training procedures, and monitoring mechanisms with updates every two years

Beginning January 1, 2027, the Language Access Director must engage limited-English-proficient and deaf/hard-of-hearing communities to expand access to programs and services through targeted outreach and multilingual marketing