No second. No debate. A push for language access dies quietly
A proposal to launch a pilot program offering in-person Spanish interpretation at City Council meetings failed to move forward Monday night, after no council member seconded the resolution for discussion.
The proposal, introduced by Council Member Nathan Hamilton, aimed to provide live Spanish interpretation during public comment and Spanish-language closed captioning on the city’s meeting livestream. Hamilton cited data showing that Spanish-speaking residents make up roughly 14% of North Little Rock’s population [Hamilton was incorrect and later corrected the figure to 7%] and noted that in the past year, non-English speakers had appeared before the Council without language access at more than a third of its meetings.
“Providing in-person Spanish interpretation is a simple, affordable step,” Hamilton said in a closing statement after the resolution failed. “Not everyone speaks English. If we’re making decisions that impact residents’ homes and businesses, they should be able to understand and participate.”
The estimated annual cost for the pilot was less than $10,000, according to Hamilton—far lower than other city communication expenses. He also raised concerns about relying on existing bilingual city employees to translate without additional pay, calling it “not respectful.”
No council member voiced opposition publicly during the meeting, but the lack of a second effectively halted the initiative.
Hamilton concluded his remarks by expressing hope the city would eventually adopt language access policies, saying, “When we do, I think we’ll be stronger and more inclusive because of it.”
The meeting adjourned shortly afterward, with no further discussion on the topic.