# 119-hr-8604: Language Access Board Act of 2026

119-hr-8604, Language Access Board Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8604
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8604
- Congress: 119
- Title: Language Access Board Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-30
- Sponsor: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 13
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Language Access Board** would be created to set and enforce federal standards so people with limited English proficiency can use public-facing federal programs and materials. The bill would also require agency reviews, a complaint process, and studies on translating resources and technology. - People with limited English proficiency would get clearer access to federal services because agencies must make public-facing resources and vital documents accessible in comparable formats and provide alternatives when full compliance is an undue burden. Complaints could be filed with the Board six months after final standards are published. - Federal departments and agencies would have to adopt Board standards, revise their language access policies within six months after initial standards, and run accessibility evaluations starting eighteen months after enactment and every two years thereafter. Agencies could face investigations and corrective action plans overseen by the Board and reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget. - Interpreters, translators, contractors, and technology vendors would see new guidance and best practices from a two-year study on existing language access laws and standards, plus Board-led technical assistance and training for federal staff and contractors.

## Cosponsors (13)

- Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] (D-NY), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52] (D-CA), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] (D-FL), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] (D-CA), 2026-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-05-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34] (D-CA), 2026-05-04T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Which agencies must provide language access: benefit, medium. If enacted, each federal agency would have to make public-facing materials accessible to people with limited English proficiency. This includes vital documents, websites, forms, hotlines, and call centers. An agency can avoid full compliance only if it documents an undue burden. If an undue burden…
- Standards, reviews, and a two-year study: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Board would publish initial language access standards within 2 years. The proposed standards would be posted in the Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period and reviewed within 30 days after that. The Board could not issue or change standards without OMB review, and OMB w…
- New Federal Language Access Board: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would create a Federal Language Access Board with 32 members. The President would appoint 16 public members who may not be federal employees. The other 16 would be agency heads or senior designees. No more than eight public appointees could be from the same political party.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-8604 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8604)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8604 (as of 2026-09-21).