Budget and Appropriations Committee Hearing on Language Access - May 21, 2025
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Budget and Appropriations Committee Hearing on Language Access - May 21, 2025
On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget and Appropriations Committee held a hearing to assess the implementation of Ordinance 116-24 (language access amendments), review the 2025 Language Access Compliance Summary Report, discuss a Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) report on language access costs, and receive public feedback. The committee, chaired by Supervisor Connie Chan and including Supervisors Joe Ingardio, Shaman Walton, and Cheyenne Chen, heard presentations from the BLA, the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCIA), and the Language Access Network, followed by extensive public comment. Key themes included the need for increased funding ($5.8 million in new funds plus a total of $22.9 million across departments), challenges with bilingual staff recruitment and retention, and the critical importance of language access in emergency services.
Presentations & Discussion
- BLA Report (Fred Brusseau & Daniela Estrada): The BLA presented its April 2025 report analyzing current language access costs ($15.1 million in FY 2022-23), the projected costs of the 2024 ordinance amendments ($3.5 million one-time and $2.1 million ongoing, totaling $5.6 million in the first year), and issues with bilingual staff pay. The BLA noted that 17% of language special condition positions were vacant in 2022, and the $60-per-pay-period bilingual premium may be insufficient for attraction/retention. Recommendations included improving data consistency, creating a citywide bilingual employee registry, and urging DHR to evaluate premium pay.
- OCIA Presentation (Jorge Rivas & Anna de Carolis): OCIA reported that in FY 2024, city departments recorded about 1.5 million limited English proficient (LEP) client interactions (the highest ever, 48% above the five-year average), but bilingual staff decreased by 2% compared to the prior year. Key updates: the threshold for certified languages will drop from 10,000 to 6,000 LEP individuals (effective January 2026), likely adding Vietnamese; the office is working on a "know your rights" brochure and enhanced complaint reporting; and a community language bank project is in the research phase. OCIA acknowledged it does not have enforcement authority and relies on departments’ self-reported data.
- Language Access Network Presentation (Anisha Hingarani of Chinese for Affirmative Action & Munesa Wangara of African Advocacy Network): The network shared community stories of language access failures, including a traumatic incident where a monolingual Chinese neighbor died after EMTs lacked interpretation, and a healthcare appointment where an uncertified interpreter gave incorrect information. They emphasized that language access is a matter of life, safety, and dignity, especially under federal rollbacks (e.g., Trump’s executive order revoking Executive Order 13166 and declaring English the official language). They urged the committee to prioritize $5.8 million in funding ($22.9 million total) for departments and OCIA, maintain $900,000 over two years for the language access network, and require departments to present language access budgets during annual budget hearings.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Over a dozen community members and organizational representatives testified, many sharing personal experiences of inadequate interpretation in healthcare, emergency services, and city departments. Speakers included Sylvia Romul (CARE), Amparo Alarcon (PODER), Amy Aguilera (PODER), Sarah Souza (Immigrant Rights Commission), Teresa Dela Cruz, Semya (African Advocacy Network), Ayu (CAA), Annie (CAA), Annette Wong (reading testimony from a community member), Jose An (Immigrant Rights Commission/CAA), Nick G. (CAA), Johannes Yatbarak (African Advocacy Network), and Marty (community advocate). Common requests: fund the $5.8 million in new LAO implementation costs, maintain the $900,000 for the language access network, and ensure emergency responders activate interpretation services automatically.
Key Outcomes
- The committee heard and filed the hearing by a unanimous 4–0 vote (Supervisors Ingardio, Walton, Chen, and Chair Chan voting aye).
- Supervisor Walton and Chair Chan committed to working during the budget process to secure funding for language access, despite the city’s fiscal deficit.
- Supervisor Chan specifically raised concerns about emergency services (first responders) and pledged to follow up on improving interpretation for EMT and emergency situations.
- No formal legislation was voted on; the hearing was informational and advisory for the upcoming budget cycle.
Meeting Transcript
Oh, yes. That's what I heard too. Definitely. That's right. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the May 21st, 2025 meeting of the Budget and Appropriation Committee. I am Supervisor Connie Chan, Chair of the Committee. I am joined by Supervisors Ingario, Joe Ingardio, Shaman Walton, and Cheyenne Chen. Our clerk is Brent Halipa. And I would like to thank Eugene Labadia from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Mr. Clark, do you have any announcements? Yes, Madam Chair. Just a friendly reminder to those in attendance to please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices to prevent interruptions or proceedings. Should you have any documents to be included as part of the file, it should be submitted to myself, the clerk. Public comment will be taken on our one item on this agenda. When public comment is called, please line up to speak on the west side of the chamber to your right, my left along those curtains, and while not required to provide public comment, we do invite you to fill out a comment card and leave them on the trade by the television to your left by the doors. If you wish to be accurately recorded for the minutes, alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the budget and appropriations committee clerk, Hat B R E N T dot J A L I P A Hat S F G O V dot ORG. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. In partnership with our Office of Community Engagement and Immigrant Affairs and Intergraphics, we have arranged for simultaneous interpretation during discussions and consecutive interpretation during public comment in Spanish and Cantonese. Should any member of the public require a listening device for today's meeting, please see one of our staff stationed outside these chambers. And thank you, Madam Chair. That completes my announcements. Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Before we call item number one, um I would like to make the motion to excuse President Rafael Mendelman and Vice Chair Matt Dorsey to this meeting. Second by Supervisor Walton, thank you so much. And with that, a roll call, please. And on that motion to excuse Supervisors Dorsey and Mannelman from attending today's meeting. Member Ingario. Aye. And Guardio, aye. Member Walton. Aye. Walton. I member Chen. Chen, I. Chair Chan. I. Chan, I. Uh, we have four eyes. We have to. Thank you. Sorry. The motion passes. And with that, Mr. Clerk, please call item number one. Yes, item number one is a hearing to assess the current status of the implementation of ordinance number 116-24. Uh review the 2025 language access compliance summary report.
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