SEPTEMBER 1 — The State Department called for comments on a rule it had announced earlier, to help those discriminated because they may not know enough English.

In a ‘Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons’ the State Department called for public comment before issuing the final policy guidance. Comments must be submitted on or before (30) days from the date of publication.

The State Department will then review all comments and will determine what modifications, if any, to this policy guidance are necessary.

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d, et seq. (Title VI) and DOS regulations implementing Title VI, recipients of Federal financial assistance from the DOS (recipients) have a responsibility to ensure meaningful access by persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) to their programs and activities.

The primary focus of this guidance is on entities that receive Federal financial assistance from the State Department, either directly or indirectly, through a grant, cooperative agreement, contract or subcontract, and operate programs or activities or portions of programs or activities in the United States and its territories.

Based on the 2000 census, over 26 million individuals speak Spanish and almost 7 million individuals speak an Asian or Pacific Island language at home.

If these individuals have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English, they are considered to be limited English proficient, or ‘LEP.’