People depend on state agencies to address needs and challenges – from applying for unemployment assistance, to keeping food on the table and staving off an eviction, to navigating the complexities of the child welfare system. While nearly 1 in 4 Massachusetts residents speak a language other than English in the home, our Commonwealth’s services and information systems are overwhelmingly conveyed in English alone, effectively denying hundreds of thousands of families the ability to access critical resources. An Act relative to language access and inclusion H.3384/S.2622 (filed by Representatives Madaro and González and Senator DiDomenico) would address this crisis by standardizing and enforcing language access policies and practices at select state agencies to ensure all residents have equal access to the services and information they need. We have already started a message for you –click “Start Writing” above to add your own details and urge your legislator to advocate with the Chairs of the Ways and Means Committee to report H.3384/S.2622 out favorably and send it to the floor for a vote! Language access is essential to the safety, stability, and well-being of our communities.

Thank you for standing with us!

Mass Speaks Coalition Steering Committee

• Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
• Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law & Justice
• Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts