Official Text and Analysis.

Requires state agencies and local emergency management departments to provide certain health and safety-related notices and communications in languages other than English, or in a manner that non-English speaking persons can understand.

(1) Requires state agencies to provide life safety information, to the extent technologically feasible, in a language or manner that can be understood by significant population segments when an emergency has been proclaimed. (2) Modifies the definition of "significant population segment" to mean each limited English proficiency (LEP) group that is 5% or 1,000 people, whichever is fewer, of those eligible to be served or likely to be affected. (3) Specifies that OFM's LEP population estimates will be used to determine eligible language groups. (4) Provides four criteria that local organizations should consider when developing a communication plan, including the number of LEP persons, the frequency with which LEP persons come in contact with emergency notifications, the nature of the emergency notification, and the resources available to provide emergency notifications. (5) Requires local organizations to submit communication plans to the Military Department at the next emergency management plan update and requires the Military Department to submit a report to the Legislature every five years regarding communication plan development and implementation progress.