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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE BILL NO. 424
BY REPRESENTATIVE MONTOUCET
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STATE DEPARTMENTS: Provides for the La. French Language Services program
AN ACT1
To enact Chapter 14 of Title 25 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised2
of R.S. 25:671 through 674, to provide for the Louisiana French Language Services3
Program; to provide for identification of employees in state departments who can4
provide services in French or assist employees in providing services to French-5
speaking persons; to provide for development and implementation of the program6
by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in concert with the Council7
for the Development of French in Louisiana; and to provide for related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. Chapter 14 of Title 25 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,10
comprised of R.S. 25:671 through 674, is hereby enacted to read as follows: 11
CHAPTER 14. LOUISIANA FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVI CES PROGRAM12
§671. Legislative findings13
The legislature finds that:14
(1) The heritage of the French-speaking people of Louisiana is one of the15
greatest treasures of Louisiana's rich cultural patrimony and perhaps the most16
significant factor in making the state's culture so unique.17
(2) Louisiana has a quarter of a million French-speaking citizens and a18
million residents of French-language heritage, and French-speaking visitors to19
Louisiana spend roughly one hundred million dollars annually in the state.20 HLS 11RS-696 ENGROSSED
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(3) Commercial and industrial concerns based in France have made1
investments of one billion eight hundred million dollars in the state and further2
encouragement of such investment is in the interests of the state.3
(4) Providing state government services in the French language would4
encourage the preservation of the state's French cultural heritage for future5
generations, would provide important and sometimes life-sustaining services to6
French-speaking citizens and visitors, and would support and encourage French7
investment in Louisiana, and therefore, would serve not only the state's French-8
speaking citizens but the entire state.9
§672. Louisiana French Language Services Program; purposes10
The Louisiana French Language Services Program shall be established as11
provided in this Chapter for the following purposes:12
(1) To the extent practicable, to provide state government services to French-13
speaking citizens and visitors in the French language.14
(2) To assist Louisiana citizens who speak French in dealing with and15
receiving services from state government so as to support the long-term16
sustainability of Louisiana's historic French cultural heritage.17
(3) To assist French-speaking visitors to the state and thus to promote an18
increase in tourism and greater investment in the state from Francophone countries.19
§673. Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism; program responsibilities;20
cooperation of departments21
A. The Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, referred to in this22
Chapter as the "department", in concert with and under the guidance of the Council23
for the Development of French in Louisiana, shall develop and provide for24
implementation of a program for provision of services of state government in the25
French language.26
B.(1)(a) In developing the program, the department shall work in27
cooperation with departments of state government, and such departments shall28
cooperate with the department.29 HLS 11RS-696 ENGROSSED
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(b) The Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism shall also participate1
in the program in the same manner as other departments.2
(2) The department shall request each state department to identify its3
employees who speak French with sufficient fluency to provide or assist others in4
providing services of the department to French-speaking persons and shall assist the5
departments in identifying such employees. The department shall request the6
Council for the Development of French in Louisiana to assist the departments of7
state government in identifyi ng employees who speak French with necessary8
fluency.9
(3) The department shall develop guidelines for implementation of the10
program. Such guidelines shall address such issues as priorities in implementing the11
program in service areas with greater numbers of French-speaking citizens or visitors12
and for services dealing with such matters as health, safety, compliance with13
regulations, or complexity of processes. The implementation guidelines shall also14
address dealing with limited department resources.15
(4) The department shall provide for appropriate insignia, such as a badge16
with the word "Bienvenue" or "Bonjour" to identify employees who will assist17
French-speaking clients in accessing and using department services. The department18
shall provide procedures for recognition of the employees entitled to wear such19
insignia which may include recognition of the employee's language skills by the20
Council for the Development of French in Louisiana.21
C.(1) The department shall provide for implementation of the program by22
state departments in accordance with the guidelines developed as provided in this23
Section and subject to the resources available to individual departments.24
(2) The department shall urge the convention and visitors bureaus throughout25
the state to implement a similar program.26 HLS 11RS-696 ENGROSSED
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§674. Recommendations; award of excellence1
A. The Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism shall make2
recommendations for improving the provision of French language services to state3
departments, the governor, and the legislature.4
B. The department may institute an annual "Sceau d'excellence" [Seal of5
excellence] designation for the state department, agency, or office that best6
accomplishes the program's purposes, giving consideration to public visibility and7
recognition for the program within the department, agency, or office and the8
proportion of employees who are participating.9
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Montoucet HB No. 424
Abstract: Provides for the La. French Language Services Program to be implemented by
the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to identify French-speaking employees
in state departments who will provide services in French or assist other employees
in providing services to French-speaking persons.
Proposed law provides for establishment of the La. French Language Services Program for
the following purposes:
(1)To provide state government services to French-speaking citizens and visitors in the
French language, to the extent practicable.
(2)To assist La. citizens who speak French in dealing with and receiving services from
state government so as to support the long-term sustainability of La.'s historic French
cultural heritage.
(3)To assist French-speaking visitors and thus to promote an increase in tourism and
greater investment in the state from Francophone countries.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (DCRT), in concert
with and under the guidance of the Council for the Development of French in La.
(CODOFIL), to develop and provide for implementation of a program for provision of
services of state government in the French language. Provides that DCRT shall work
cooperatively with the departments of state government and requires such departments to
cooperate with DCRT. Provides that DCRT shall also participate in the program in the same
manner as other departments.
Proposed law requires DCRT to: HLS 11RS-696 ENGROSSED
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(1)Request each state department to identify its employees who speak French with
sufficient fluency to provide or assist others in providing department services to
French-speaking persons and assist the departments in identifying such employees.
Requires DCRT to request CODOFIL to assist the state departments in identifying
such employees.
(2)Develop guidelines for program implementation which shall address such issues as
priorities in implementing the program in service areas with greater numbers of
French-speaking citizens or visitors and for services dealing with such matters as
health, safety, compliance with regulations, or complexity of processes. Specifies
that implementation guidelines shall also address dealing with limited department
resources.
(3)Provide for appropriate insignia, such as a badge with the word "Bienvenue" or
"Bonjour" to identify employees who will assist French-speaking clients in accessing
and using department services. Requires state departments to provide procedures for
recognition of the employees entitled to wear such insignia which may include
recognition of the employee's language skills by CODOFIL.
(4)Provide for implementation of the program by state departments in accordance with
the guidelines developed as provided in proposed law and subject to the resources
available to individual departments.
(5)Urge the convention and visitors bureaus throughout the state to implement a similar
program.
Proposed law provides that DCRT shall make recommendations for improving the provision
of French language services to state departments, the governor, and the legislature.
Proposed law authorizes DCRT to institute an annual designation for the state department,
agency, or office that best accomplishes the program's purposes (the Sceau d'excellence or
Seal of excellence). Specifies that in making the designation, consideration also be given
to public visibility and recognition for the program within the department, agency, or office
and the proportion of employees who are participating.
(Adds R.S. 25:671-674)