Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights) announced that legislation she authored to ensure that COVID-19 contact tracers adequately represent the diversity of communities they serve was signed into law (Ch. 294of 2020).

“As we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s imperative that we use every tool we’ve got to help slow the spread of the virus and gradually return to normalcy,” Jean-Pierre said. “Contact tracers are some of our most valuable assets, but these essential workers are most effective when they reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the areas they serve. I authored this law to ensure every community has contact tracers who understand their language and cultural practices, which is vital for open and honest communication.”

A similar bill was signed into law earlier this year, but it exclusively applied to New York City (Ch. 115 of 2020). Jean-Pierre’s legislation expands this practice to the rest of the state.

Minority and low-income communities have faced the highest rates of COVID-19 infection and death compared to the overall population in Suffolk and Nassau counties. Gaining trust is imperative for contact tracers to be successful and having a familiarity with varied languages and cultural practices helps achieve this goal, Jean-Pierre noted. The law also promotes diversity in the state’s contact tracing recruitment initiatives, helping to distribute employment opportunities equitably while enhancing efficiency.