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):
title
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 hire a full-time Director and Program Coordinator.
Expected Impact:
Funding phase one of the LAP ensures that the Harris County Courts at Law are able to setup the LAO to commence tracking mandated performance metrics which requires case management systems application development and enhancements, translation of forms, documents and website content, and establishing administrative processes and procedures for implementation and evaluation of the LAP.
Alternative Options:
None.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: D: Reduce racial, ethnic, and economic disparities in the criminal legal system.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): C3: Operationalize new and build upon successful pilot interventions targeted to reduce the jail population.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Action Taken |
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Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Choose an item.
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
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Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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1000 - General Fund |
$417,637 |
$21,150 |
$438,787 |
$438,787 |
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$ |
$8,463 |
$8,463 |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$417,637 |
$29,613 |
$447,250 |
$438,787 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
2 |
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Anticipated Court Date: 3/27/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Ed Wells, Court Manager, Harris County Office of Court Management
Attachments (if applicable):
• Harris County Courts at Law Language Plan