Bill · S. 4985· Senate(119-S-4985)
Language Access for All Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/15/2026
- Last activity
- 7/15/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sponsored by
- Andy Kim
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Language Access for All Act of 2026 aims to help people with limited English proficiency (LEP) access Federal services. It requires agencies to create language access plans and technical standards for translating documents and providing interpreters. The bill establishes a public complaint system managed by the Attorney General and creates a Language Access Coordinator position in every agency. It also sets rules for using AI in translation, requiring human verification to ensure accuracy. Finally, it treats failure to comply with these rules as discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Yes· 3 of 35
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?+9
Directly impacts one of the largest LEP populations in the US, significantly increasing access to services.
Would Asian Americans be better off under this?+9
Directly impacts a large segment of the Asian American population facing linguistic barriers.
Would immigrants be better off under this?+9
Crucial for immigrants with limited English proficiency to access essential federal services.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-2
The bill mandates new spending for translations, interpreters, and administrative oversight.
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?-1
Implementation of language access plans and new coordinator positions will likely increase federal agency expenditures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Improved Access to Services: Agencies must translate vital documents into frequently encountered and dominant languages and provide oral or remote interpretation, ensuring people with LEP can meaningfully access federal programs (Section 2(a)(1)).
-
Accountability for Failures: The Attorney General will maintain a public system for individuals to submit complaints about barriers to access, and agencies must respond to these complaints within 60 days (Section 2(a)(2)).
-
Protection Against AI Errors: Agencies cannot fully replace human translators with AI and must have a qualified human verify machine translations to ensure cultural context and accuracy (Section 2(d)(1), (2)(e)).
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Emergency Preparedness: Agencies that provide emergency response must specify how they will provide multilingual communications during disasters or public health crises (Section 2(b)(1)(F)).
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Legal Recourse: Individuals who are aggrieved by a lack of language access can bring administrative actions or seek civil and injunctive remedies (Section 2(g)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential for Service Denials via Waivers: Agency heads can request waivers from technical standards if they claim an "undue burden," which could result in a lack of meaningful access if the Attorney General grants the request (Section 2(c)(3)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Asian Americans+9Good For Hispanic Americans+9Good For Immigrants+9Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Native Americans+7Good For Retirees+5Good For Seniors+5Good For Veterans+5Good For People With Disabilities+4Good For Children+3Good For Middle Aged+3Good For Rural Residents+3Good For Students+3Good For Urban Residents+3Good For Young Adults+3Good For African Americans+2Good For Middle Class Households+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+7Improves Poverty Reduction+4Improves Social Security+4Improves Disability Rights+3Improves Pathway To Citizenship+3
- Healthcare
- Improves Pandemic Preparedness+6Improves Healthcare Access+5Improves Mental Health Access+2Improves Opioid Crisis Response+2Improves Veterans Healthcare+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process+6Improves Government Transparency+6Improves Privacy Rights+2Increases Federal Power+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+8
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+5
- Education And Technology
- Improves Data Privacy+2
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+2Reduces Government Spending-2Reduces National Debt-1
- 7/15/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii