2012 Model New Orleans Language Access Ordinance

The model ordinance centralizes the responsibility for promoting language access in city government in the Office of Neighborhood Engagement (ONE). The ordinance grants ONE increased funds to implement plans to hire multilingual employees. It also appoints ONE to collect the language-access surveys from each of the city's department's in order to analyze the surveys and present the finding to the City Council nine months after the survey process begins. ONE will also receive increase funding to translate written materials that provide vital information to LEP persons about municipal government services. Under the model ordinance, complaints will be collected through an online form prepared by the Chief Administrative Office. The form will be available in Spanish and Vietnamese online. Within the Chief Administrative Office, the Office of Performance Accountability would be charged with reporting the complaints to the respective departments within a week of the complaints being filed. The ordinance also prioritizes departments that offer emergency-related services and guarantees due process for LEP persons.