Organizations - both public and private - receiving funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 must comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Title VI prohibits discrimination based on national origin, "including language access for limited English proficient persons".  State and local governments also receive federal funds so they must follow the federal statute.

"Limited English proficient persons" (LEP) are defined as "individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English".  The 2000 LEP Executive Order requires both Federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide access to services to their LEP beneficiaries.

Although AIG has a Spanish website, many municipal governments and departments do not.  A random search of www.nashville.gov shows that the Metropolitan Development and Housing Authority has information on Fair Housing in Spanish, Somali, and Lao.  Spanish-speakers can learn how to recycle, take the Civil Service exam, or become a police officer, but if they need information from the Health Department, they're out of luck.  www.health.nashville.gov only has a link to the Spanish content at the Centers for Disease Control. 

Photo by Steve Wampler. Licensed under Creative Commons.

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