Primary Department: County Courts
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Ed Wells
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request by the County Courts for approval of funding needed to setup the new Language Access Office (LAO) for the Harris County Courts at Law with funding being used to create and hire two (2) positions needed to implement phase one of the LAO and support direct services for language access.
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Background and Discussion:
In December 2024, the Harris County District Courts and County Courts at Law adopted a Language Access Plan (LAP) to provide limited English proficient (LEP) individuals language access services (LAS) that include interpretation and translation services.
The LAP provides LEP individuals LAS in a manner that complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), its implementing regulations, state statutes, and the Texas Constitution. To the extent funding and resources are made available, the Harris County Courts are committed to prioritizing, creating, and/or expanding the availability of LAS to LEP participants in criminal, civil, family, and juvenile court proceedings. The Courts are also dedicated to ensuring everyone has equal access to justice. Accordingly, this LAP enables delivering LAS that upholds due process requirements.
Phase one of the LAP implementation requires funding to allow the Language Access Office (LAO) for Harris County Courts at Law to hi...
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