S 10201 NY
Relates to the powers of the head of the office of mental health and the head of the office for people with developmental disabilities to promulgate rules regarding communications needs of non-English speakers
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Summary
This bill amends the mental hygiene law to require the commissioners of the Office of Mental Health and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to establish rules addressing language assistance services for non-English speakers. The rules must ensure that documents, forms, and materials are available in English and the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in New York State based on U.S. census data. The rules must also include other reasonable measures to accommodate the language capabilities and preferences of non-English speakers in facilities where significant numbers of non-English speakers seek or receive services. The bill takes effect immediately.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Official abstract
Relates to the powers of the head of the office of mental health and the head of the office for people with developmental disabilities to promulgate rules regarding communications needs of non-English speakers seeking or receiving services; includes the provision of language services and documents in English and the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in New York State based on United States census data.
Sponsor (1)
- Cordell Cleare Democratic · primary
Action history (1)
- May 5, 2026 REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH · upper
Text versions (2)
Full text
Full text imported from assembly.state.ny.us
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Bill No.: Summary Actions Committee Votes Floor Votes Memo Text LFIN Chamber Video/Transcript S10201 Summary: BILL NO S10201   SAME AS SAME AS A11023
  SPONSOR CLEARE   COSPNSR   MLTSPNSR   Amd §§7.09 & 13.09, Ment Hyg L   Relates to the powers of the head of the office of mental health and the head of the office for people with developmental disabilities to promulgate rules regarding communications needs of non-English speakers seeking or receiving services; includes the provision of language services and documents in English and the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in New York State based on United States census data.
Go to top S10201 Text:
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________
10201
IN SENATE
May 5, 2026 ___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the powers of the head of the office of mental health and the head of the office for people with developmental disabilities to promulgate rules regarding communications needs of non-English speaking individuals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision (h) of section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law, 2 as added by chapter 301 of the laws of 1994 and relettered by section 2 3 of part I of chapter 58 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as 4 follows: 5 (h) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to address 6 the language assistance services and communications needs of non-English 7 speaking individuals seeking or receiving services in facilities oper- 8 ated or licensed by the office in order to facilitate their access to 9 services. Such rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited 10 to, documents, forms and materials being available in English and the 11 twelve most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in New 12 York state based on United States census data, and other reasonable 13 means to accommodate the language capabilities and preferences of non- 14 English speaking individuals in such facilities where a significant 15 number of non-English speaking individuals seek or receive services. 16 § 2. Subdivision (e) of section 13.09 of the mental hygiene law, as 17 added by chapter 301 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as 18 follows: 19 (e) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to address 20 the language assistance services and communications needs of non-English 21 speaking individuals seeking or receiving services in facilities oper- 22 ated or licensed by the office in order to facilitate their access to 23 services. Such rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited 24 to, documents, forms, and materials being available in English and the 25 twelve most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in New 26 York state based on United States census data, and other reasonable
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD15612-01-6
S. 10201 2
1 means to accommodate the language capabilities and preferences of non- 2 English speaking individuals in such facilities where a significant 3 number of non-English speaking individuals seek or receive services. 4 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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