New York State Office of Language Access
Annual Report 2024-2025
In April 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul codified New York’s statewide language access policy as part of the FY 2023 Enacted Budget. Under the language access law, all New York State agencies that provide services or benefits directly to the public must provide interpretation services in any language to a person who needs to access the agency’s services. Covered agencies are also required to translate vital agency documents into the 12 languages most commonly spoken by New Yorkers with limited English proficiency (LEP), based on the most recent data from the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
To ensure effective implementation, Governor Hochul established the New York State Office of Language Access (OLA) in October 2022, which operates within the New York State Office of General Services (OGS). OLA provides critical oversight, coordination, and support to state agencies as they fulfill the requirements of the language access law.
Nearly 50 state agencies self-reported data for this report, which OLA created in collaboration with the OGS Data Analytics Office and the OGS Digital and Media Services Center. It is prepared and published in accordance with the Executive Law Section 202-a, also known as the language access law. It reflects language access services provided during the state fiscal year (FY) 2024-2025, from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
A summary of conclusions is included below. To view the full report, download the PDF at the end of this section. For any questions about this report, contact OLA at [email protected].
Summary
From April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025:
- One new state agency for the annual report—the New York Waterfront Commission (WC)— opted to voluntarily comply with the language access law in 2024, and its data is included in this report.
- Two new state agencies under the language access law—the Council on Children and Families (CCF) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED)—also opted to voluntarily comply with the law in early 2025. Their data will be included in next year’s annual report.
- State agencies provided language interpretation services in more than 157 languages across 583,793 individual encounters, representing a 13-percent increase from last year’s report.
- Over 5,840 people with LEP were assisted through group encounters.
- Most encounters with people with LEP occurred through telephonic interpretation and in-person consecutive interpretation, which is consistent with last year’s report.
- Spanish remains the most frequently requested language for translation and interpretation, which reflects its status as the preferred language of the largest population with LEP in New York State.
- Agencies translated over 27,000 documents into 73 languages.
- Agencies printed and distributed over 19 million translated documents in 35 languages, marking a 2-percent increase from last year’s report.
- A total of 31,356 agency staff members completed the annual statewide Language Access for Frontline Staff training administered by the Office of Employee Relations (OER).
- Agencies addressed all 33 public complaints related to language access received during the reporting period.
- Agencies spent over $14 million on language access services, a 36-percent increase compared to last year’s report.
Overall, these conclusions reflect New York State’s continued commitment to providing equitable access to services for everyone, regardless of their preferred language or English-language skills. OLA continues to collaborate with state entities to monitor, expand, and improve language access services across the state.