S. 4985: Language Access for All Act of 2026

This bill would require federal agencies to make their services, programs, and communications more accessible to people who have limited English proficiency. In plain terms, it would set up a government-wide system for translating important documents, providing interpreters, and improving language access in person, by phone, online, and through digital tools.

What agencies would have to do

Within one year after the bill becomes law, each federal agency would have to make sure people with limited English proficiency can meaningfully use its programs and activities. That would include:

• Translating important public-facing documents and content into languages the agency often encounters and into major U.S. languages based on Census data.
• Adding multilingual features to websites, portals, and other information systems so agencies can identify language needs and provide content in other languages.
• Providing oral interpretation, sight translation, and remote or phone interpretation services.
• Allowing trained bilingual staff to provide language assistance when appropriate.
• Notifying the public that language assistance is available through multilingual notices, signs, taglines, or similar methods.
• Training employees who interact with the public on the agency’s language access policies.

Agency language access plans

Each agency would have to create a formal language access plan within one year. The plan would need to fit the agency’s mission and set out how it will identify language needs, provide assistance, and handle emergency situations. It would also need to include ways to measure performance, track complaints and usage, and fix problems over time.

The plan would have to be published for public comment before being finalized. Agencies would then submit the plan to the Attorney General and congressional committees. The Department of Justice would also maintain a public website, LEP.gov, as a central place to post these plans.

Technical standards

The bill would require agencies to create “Language Access Technical Standards” in consultation with the Attorney General, NIST, and community stakeholders. These standards would set baseline requirements for language access systems and services, including:

• Allowing users to access written content in supported languages.
• Making sure services are timely, reliable, and accurate across languages.
• Using user-friendly interfaces that account for different literacy and digital skill levels.
• Taking cultural factors into account.

Agencies would have to review these standards at least every three years and certify compliance annually.

Rules for artificial intelligence and machine translation

The bill would not allow agencies to replace qualified human interpreters or translators with AI or machine translation systems. If an agency uses AI-assisted language tools, a qualified human would have to verify the translation or interpretation.

Agencies would also have to:

• Publicly disclose data sources, limitations, confidence levels, and error rates for AI language tools.
• Protect personal and sensitive information.
• Test for discrimination based on language, culture, ethnicity, or other protected traits.
• Have qualified translators and interpreters review the systems for cultural and idiomatic accuracy.
• Continuously monitor performance and fix reported errors.

The Attorney General would issue best-practice guidance on AI use within one year, and agency inspectors general would audit AI language systems every two years.

Oversight and enforcement

The bill would create an interagency council and a Language Access Working Group to coordinate implementation. Each agency would also have to designate a Language Access Coordinator.

People would be able to file complaints with the Attorney General if they believe an agency is not providing meaningful language access. Agencies would have to respond within 60 days. The Attorney General would publish annual complaint summaries.

Failure to comply would be treated as discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Department of Justice could investigate and bring administrative or court actions, and affected individuals could also seek legal remedies.

Relevant Companies

None found