Assembly OKs bill that prohibits businesses from refusing to serve non-English speakers

There could soon be a new protected class of citizens in California: business patrons who speak a language other than English.

Today the state Assembly approved a measure that would prohibit restaurants and other establishments from refusing to serve patrons because they’re speaking a different language.

Although state law already provides civil rights protections, Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) felt the rules needed to be extended after a language issue arose with the Ladies Professional Golf Assn.

The LPGA, which has many foreign-born players and international sponsors, considered adopting a policy to suspend players who do not speak English, saying they needed a full command of the language to deal with American media and sponsors of the U.S.-based tour.

Though the LPGA quickly dropped the idea after civil rights groups protested, Yee ran with the issue.

His bill, which passed on a 47-25 vote largely along party lines, must go to the Senate for approval of final amendments and then would go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not indicated whether he will sign it.

Speaking a native language is protected in cases of employment and housing under existing California law, but that protection does not cover consumer issues.

In a press release, Yee heralded his bill as a “landmark,” saying no one should be discriminated against “simply for speaking their language.”

-- Eric Bailey reporting from Sacramento

Photo: Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), at an event in Oakland in July, introduced the legislation. Credit: Sean Donnelly / Associated Press

Comments

[BLM]

The state is coming apart at the seams and this is what the iditiologues are concerned about. How the heck is a business supposed to serve someone if that person doesn't speak English. I suppose Mr. Yee will offer subsidized language lessons for all business that request it. All this will do will open up the floodgates for lawsuits by lawyers and their so called non-english speaking clients who do understand the meaning of a dollar. Very Sad.

[Calgal2000]

I actually think this is a good thing. California is a tourist HOT SPOT and I've witnessed the rude behavior of some shop owners and staff towards tourists who don't speak or have difficulty speaking English. It's like Americans don't understand why the rest of the world doesn't speak "our language." If anything we need to do more to encourage more tourism as a way to help bring in more income, because our state desperately NEEDS THE MONEY!!!

[raidergreg]

Just serve them all liver and they won't come back. That's what I usely end up eating when I'm stuck in some restaurant where I can't understand the menu.

[Ryan M.]

The logical legal conclusion is that businesses will be required to provide translation services or face lawsuits.

[susan]

Your heading does NOT reflect the underlying issue -- the LPGA is a private organization and wanted to ban people who don't speak English because they can't communicate with them or the media, and therefore can't fulfill all of the obligations or expectations of the people paying their way. Your test even says as much.

BUT your heading, and this alleged bill, will prevent "businesses from refusing to serve people who speak a language other than English."

That's a VERY different thing, and I'm sure no one in their right mind throws a customer with money who's otherwise civilly-behaved out of their store, restaurant, etc. just because they don't speak English.

They may have trouble ordering just as I do when I'm in Asia or places where I can't even read the letters and try to translate the menu - but they can usually point or have someone at their hotel or a friend write down some basic items, or go to a bilingual establishment, which exists for almost ethnic group. Just like I and other Americans do when I travel.

I have faced impatience even in the West like Southern Italy where they don't speak English, and people have told me to learn Italian or whatever. They made me want to take my business elsewhere, and I did.

This is another legislator trying to make hay out of a different issue and if he has his way, will force private sponsors to sponsor people who can't fulfill their contractual obligations, which is absurd meddling. They also won't endorse golfers who just refuse to meet the press, for example. This silly article totally misstates the situation to stir up unfounded indignation.

[Existenz]

Sounds like the worst idea ever. Hopefully the bill does not require the business to actually hire people who speak every possible language in the world -- it would bankrupt them all. Hell, they shouldn't even have to print menus in other languages.

If some tourist who can't speak English comes into a restaurant, they should at least be able to use their little translation book to order something. This is a useless law and should not be passed.

[Mike Oxbent]

To BLM: Wrong, wrong, wrong. Unfortunately there are still plenty of racist business owners that will tell spanish speaking hispanics to leave their shop. This law will make that illegal. Perhaps your comment was rooted in bigotry, or you simply hate the hispanic 52% of the people in this county. Are you a business owner? Please let us know so all hispanics can steer clear of you.

[HF]

Ok, here's the real question: if you own a business and someone comes in who does not speak English or any language that one of your employee speaks, what do you do? Are you now obligated to have translators on staff? If you can't speak their language and they can't speak English, how are you supposed to serve them? Sometimes, pointing at an object can be enough but what if it's not? Can they sue you b/c you didn't have an employee who could help them? You don't think it will happen--think again--it's CA.

[BT]

Maybe the silliest bill I have encountered. At least our legislators are using their time wisely.

[alan]

If you were required to speak the language of the country, most Americans would go hungry when they visited any foreign country.

The fact we have to consider passing a law allowing non-english speakers to simply eat in a restaurant says something about how far this country has fallen.

[duxbellorum]

Mr. Yee is the poster child for the rampant idiocy in Sacramento.

If I ran a restaurant, I'd make the non-English speakers wait for a lull in patrons and try to come up with a way to communicate. Drawing stick figures? Pantomime? How in the WORLD do they expect to get by here w/o English skills?

This would only happen in California. One more reason CA is derided across the country. Thank you SO MUCH Mr. Yee for adding to the concept that everyone living here is a moron.

[Jose de San Martin]

Señor Yee:
Su proposición suena muy bonita pero no es practica especialmente en California donde se hablan muchas lenguas foráneas. Inglés y Español está bien. En San Francisco posiblemente lenguas orientales son de preferencia tal como lo son en ciertas partes del Gran Los Ángeles. Señores, ustedes han creado un problema lingüista que no tiene fácil solución., seguramente Leland Yee sabe algo que en este momento, me escapa.
Gracias.

[Luddite]

The Looney Left is at it again! Leave it to Yee Olde Granola-heads from up north to impose one more useless piece of legislation on the rest of us.

The Ship of State is foundering in uncharted financial waters and Yee and his buddies have nothing else to do but pass meaningless drivel like this. Hey, Leland, that tune they're playing up on the quarter-deck is "Nearer My God to Thee"!

If ever there's been a reason for a part-time (or even a no-time) legislature, it's reading this. Sorry to be redundant -- Yee, Granola, Looney Left, up north -- they're all the same.

[syscom3]

BLM, youre right. The state assembly and senate should be prohibited from dealing with any issue other than the budget, until that is solved.

[m]

Great, remove any incentive for assimilation.

[HOMERUN]

You need these type of laws because there are still some people believe in jim crow law type treatment of people. This 2009 and you still need to put a new law like this to stop discrimination and the mis-treatment of a human being...only in california ?

[Bill Cormeny]

Many immigrants who came to our country were misunderstood.
Many American tourists are misunderstood in other
countries when they order something.That is life.
A person can always leave the store,bank,doctor's office,hospital. Toiurists can be offended by the lack of knowledge of other groups,or watch the children around them who know the language and face their limitations.If we could force Americans to learn languages,we would be better hosts and probably make more money. It might encourage those who know the language toward creating a happier environment for these speakers.

[Mario Ramirez]

Great work Senator, Keep looking out for what's right in America.

[cc]

California will lead the nation to no longer be a state, but rather a land of tribes with different cultures and langueages. The USA will soon cease to exist.

[Westside Steve]

This appears to me to be a solution looking for a problem. Any business which refuses to accept revenue from orderly customers of any tongue will not be in business for long. Besides, the LPGA players are service providers, not "customers", these are two unrelated issues.
This may be a thinly veiled excuse to sue the last remaining businesses out of California and add to thier compliance paperwork and general liability insurance premiums. This is SHAMEFUL legislation which desparately needs a veto: we already have too many laws on our books. "Tort Reform" shouldn't mean adding more reasons for frivolous lawsuits.

[Ali]

So, does the bill require that businesses provide menus, etc., in the language of their customers? Hire bilingual employees? If not, just how does the State Assembly expect that businesses will "serve" these non English speaking customers? It should be a PRIVATE business decision as to the extent that a business wishes to go to serve a particular target market.

[Ali]

Homerun writes:"You need these type of laws because there are still some people believe in jim crow law type treatment of people. This 2009 and you still need to put a new law like this to stop discrimination and the mis-treatment of a human being...only in california ?"
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We have a whole body of "civil rights" laws that deal with issues of race and ethnicity (and that's what Hispanic is, an ethnicity) that already provide for prosecution for discrimination. However, what "race" is a language? My Hispanic nephews don't speak any Spanish. My niece (the cousin of my nephews) is of German ancestry but speaks fluent Spanish and studied in Spain.

[Bobby]

This of course, is typical leftist activity. Burden the restuarant owner with smoking regulations. Burden the small business owner with every kind of regulation, that he finally throws up his hands and gives up, and thereby depriving others of jobs. Everyone knows that this is being done to benefit the illegal alien popluation. NO, not just Mexicans, all illegal aliens. IN OTHER WORDS, AS IS THEIR HOBBY, THE DEMOCRATIC CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY IS VIOLATING IMMIGRATION LAW BY CREATING YET ANOTHER COMFORT ZONE FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS. TITLE 8, SECTION 1325 U.S. IMMIGRATION LAW CODE,..........OR IN ANYWAY FACILITATING THE STAY OF AN ILLEGAL FOREIGN NATIONAL....ETC.

[Bobby]

The State of California, which was built up by the Republicans(universities, roads, freeways, parks, schools,etc.)is being torn down by the Democrats. Roads are crumbling, residential streets are decaying, schools are failing,businesses are leaving by the thousands for other more friendly states, crime in through the roof, senior citizens houses are taxed to death, and yet all the Democrats focus on are the "rights" of millions of illegal foreign nationals that have setttled in the state and been allowed to usurp the citizenries social services, jobs, resources, etc. All the while the Democrats dream up fantastic schemes of high speed trains, idiotic rules for businesses, releasing dangerous criminals back into society, while all State, city and county coffers are empty. How do they get away with it??

[Minuteman]

Jose, well said my man!