Skip to main content

Assemblymember Mike Fong Secures Nearly $11 Million to Expand Language Access

For immediate release:
  • Sophia Kwong Kim
  • (916) 319-2049

SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Mike Fong (D – Alhambra) announced today that he secured $10.8 million in the 2023-2024 state budget for crucial language access initiatives. 

“In a state as diverse as California, we must ensure residents have access to important information in languages they understand, especially when it comes to court proceedings or gun violence prevention,” said Assemblymember Mike Fong.  

Funds secured in the budget include: 

  • $6.8 million to increase the number of court interpreters. 
     
  • $4 million to educate the public and law enforcement personnel on protective orders, such as gun violence restraining orders, also known as red flag laws, in at least 10 of the most commonly spoken languages other than English.

The request to increase the number of court interpreters is based on AB 432, authored by Assemblymember Mike Fong, to establish a Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program.  The funds will pay for costs of training, coursework and exam fees for participants, who will be employed by a court upon successful completion of the program. 

In response to the tragic mass shooting in Monterey Park earlier this year, Assemblymember Fong secured funds to raise public awareness of red flag laws, in order to increase the removal of weapons from people at risk of hurting themselves or others.  

Governor Newsom signed the budget bills on Monday, July 10th, completing the final step in the state budget process for the 2023-24 fiscal year. 

 

Assemblymember Mike Fong represents the 49th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South Pasadena and Temple City, and the unincorporated areas of Pasadena and San Gabriel.  He serves as the Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Vice Chair of the Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

 


                                                    方樹強議員籌集 1100 萬美元為了擴大語言使用範圍

加利福尼亞州,薩克拉門托 - 方樹強議員(民主黨 - 阿罕布拉)今天宣佈,他在 2023-2024 年國家預算中獲得了 1,080 萬美元,將用於重要的語言獲取計畫。

 “在加利福尼亞州這樣一個多元化的州,我們必須確保居民能夠以他們理解的語言獲取重要資訊, 特別是在法庭訴訟或槍支暴力預防方面,” 方樹強議員說。

預算中獲得的資金包括:

  • 680萬美元用於增加法庭口譯人員的數量。
     
  • 400萬美元用於對公眾和執法人員進行關於保護令的教育,例如槍支暴力限制令,也稱為red flag law,以英語以外的, 至少10種最常用語言進行教育。


基於方樹強議員撰寫的 AB 432 號法案,請求增加法庭口譯人員的數量,建立Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program. 這些資金將用於支付參與者的培訓、課程和考試費用,參與者在成功完成該專案後,將受僱於法院。

為了應對今年早些時候蒙特利公園發生的悲慘大規模槍擊事件,方議員籌集了資金,以提高公眾對red flag laws的認識,以便更多地清除有可能傷害自己或他人的人的武器。

7月10日, 星期一, Newsom州長於簽署了預算法案,完成了 2023-24 財年州預算流程的最後一步