DELAWARE - Delaware Democrats recently introduced legislation that would require all state government websites to include translated versions in any language spoken by at least 0.5 percent of the state's population to ensure broader accessibility.
House Bill 302, introduced by Rep. Josué Ortega (D-Del.), who represents the 3rd District, with cosponsors in both the House and Senate, aims to make online state services more inclusive by mandating that each government website include a link to a translated version of the page. The bill permits the use of automated translation tools, as long as there's a disclaimer about the accuracy of the text.
Allison López, who grew up in Georgetown and has family originally from Guatemala, sees the measure as a significant benefit for non-English speakers.
"There’s many Hispanic families or immigrants that doesn't understand English, and it would benefit them if they want more information about something. It will be very helpful for their case," López Juárez said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 14.8 percent of Delaware residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish being the most commonly spoken.
For López, the bill represents progress toward addressing challenges faced by families with limited English proficiency.
"Some family members that I know that they're not that fluent, but they have kids also, but sometimes they're busy with school or they're small enough where they can't fully translate for them," she said.
Marisol Velásquez, who moved to Delaware from Guatemala two years ago, said she relies on a phone app to automatically translate online information.
"I'm really glad they are working on this because at the end, it's going to help us," said Velásquez in Spanish to CoastTV News.
House Bill 302 has been reported out of the House Elections and Government Affairs Committee and is now awaiting floor action. If passed by the House, it will move to the Senate. If approved there, it will go to the governor for signature and become law.