(a) There is a Language Assistance Program. (b) A local board shall participate in the Program if the State Board determines in accordance with subsection (c) of this section that there is a significant need for language assistance to voters in the county in a language other than English. (c) The State Board shall determine not later than February 1 of the year of the election that a significant need for language assistance to voters exists in a county if, based on the best available data, including information from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey or data of comparable quality collected by a public office: (1) more than 2% of the citizen voting age population of the county: (i) use a single shared language other than English; and (ii) have limited English proficiency; or (2) more than 4,000 individuals of the citizen voting age population of the county use a single shared language other than English and have limited English proficiency. (d) The State Board shall determine that each language other than English that is used by at least the number of individuals specified in subsection (c) of this section is a designated language. (e) (1) The State Board shall publish and maintain on its website a list of: (i) each local board that is required to provide language assistance in a language other than English; and (ii) each designated language in which the language assistance is required to be provided by the local board. (2) The State Board shall update the information published and maintained under paragraph (1) of this subsection at least every 2 years. (f) The State Administrator shall promptly notify each local board and the chief financial officer of the county included on this list under subsection (e) of this section of the requirements of this title.
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