Albany, New York – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) and State Senator John Liu (D-Flushing) announced the passage of their legislation (A387B/S6288B) to expand language access in hospitals. The bill now advances to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk for final consideration.

If signed into law, all hospitals across New York would be required to establish comprehensive language assistance programs for patients with limited English proficiency, as well as those with vision or hearing impairments. These programs would provide access to qualified interpreters, translated medical documents, and clear signage informing patients of their rights. By integrating these services into every stage of care, this legislation ensures that all patients can navigate the healthcare system with meaningful and informed access.

With more than 5.7 million New Yorkers speaking a language other than English at home, language access is critical for timely, safe, and effective care. This legislation directly addresses disparities by mandating equitable, culturally competent care, particularly for underserved immigrant and low-income communities that have historically faced obstacles to the healthcare system.

“We are putting patients first, ensuring that no New Yorker is denied safe and informed medical care,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “In one of the most linguistically diverse states in the country, this bill makes broad access the standard, not the exception. I urge Governor Hochul to sign this into law so every New Yorker can get the care they deserve.”

“Language should never be a barrier to life-saving care, especially in our hospitals where every second can mean the difference between life and death. This legislation ensures that every patient who enters a New York hospital can receive safe and immediate treatment at every stage of their visit, no matter their English proficiency,” said State Senator John Liu.

“All New Yorkers – regardless of the language they speak – deserve to have full access to health care services. More than 1 out of 3 Asian American New Yorkers is currently limited English proficient (LEP), and at CACF we’ve seen firsthand how transformative having access to in-language culturally responsive language assistance coordinators can be for our community. Assemblymember Rozic’s Bill A387A would address longstanding language access gaps in New York State by ensuring its hospitals have language access coordinators in place for LEP patients who often struggle to be understood while navigating care,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors, Coalition for Asian American Children + Families (CACF). “Just as importantly, we commend AM Rozic calling for safeguards to ensure that children under 16 will not be called on to translate for their family members in medical settings outside of clearly defined, emergency situations. We thank the Assembly and Senate for passing this important legislation and urge Governor Hochul to sign the bill into law.”

“Everyone has the right to receive high quality medical care, regardless of what language they speak,” said Thomas Yu, Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE). “We are grateful to Assemblywoman Rozic and Senator Liu for championing this important legislation to ensure that some of our most vulnerable neighbors have access to competent care at hospitals across the state. We urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill!”

With strong support from community organizations and healthcare advocates, this bill provides an actionable framework to advance the state’s health equity goals by fostering a healthcare system that treats every New Yorker with dignity and fairness.