Prohibits entities from denying an individual any service, financial aid, or other benefit because of race, color or national origin.
Prohibits entities from providing a different service or benefit or providing these in a different manner from those provided to others under the program.
Prohibits segregation or separate treatment in any manner related to receiving program services or benefits.
Prohibits entities from requiring different standards or conditions as prerequisites for serving individuals.
Encourages the participation of minorities as members of planning or advisory bodies for programs receiving federal funds.
Prohibits discriminatory activity in a facility built in whole or part with Federal funds.
Requires information and services to be provided in languages other than English when significant numbers of beneficiaries are of limited English speaking ability.
Requires entities to notify the respective population about applicable programs.
Prohibits locating facilities in any way that would limit or impede access to a Federally funded service or benefit.
Requires assurance of nondiscrimination in purchasing of services.
Who must comply?
State and local government: Agencies distributing federal assistance or entities distributing federal assistance to the state or local government entity.
Higher education: college, university, or other post-secondary institution
Local education agency or system of vocational education, or other school system
An entire corporation, partnership, or other private organization, or an entire sole proprietorship
The entire plant or private corporation or other organization which is a geographically separate facility to which federal financial assistance is extended.
What is Title VI?
Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act says, ”No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” 42 U.S.C.§2000d
What does Title VI not do?
Does not apply to Federal assistance provided through insurance or guaranty contracts, (e.g. FHA loan insurance).
Does not apply to employment, except where employment practices result in discrimination against program beneficiaries or where the purpose of the Federal assistance is to provide employment.
Does not apply to direct benefit programs such as Social Security.
Does not apply only to contracts and set-aside programs.
Are participants able to be selected for jury duty?
Program Participants are not subject to selection for state or municipal jury duty. T.C.A. § 40-38-607.
Program participants should not appear on state or municipal jury selection lists. If a program participant is selected for jury service, the summoning court should excuse the program participant.
If a program participant receives a jury summons for either state or municipal jury duty, the Participant must notify the summoning court of the participant's exempt status and provide a copy of the Participant's Certificate of Program Participation, if requested.
Participants may not fail to respond to a jury summons.
How does Title VI apply to Public Policy?
Title VI is a mechanism that directs the federal financial assistance, which drives or promotes economic development. By legislative mandate, Title VI examines the following public policy issues:
Accessibility for all persons
Infrastructure development
Accountability in public funds expenditures
Minority participation in decision making
Disparate impact
Program service delivery
Economic empowerment
Public-Private partnerships in part or whole with public funds
Environmental Justice
Site and location of facilities
When Can the Substitute Address be Used?
Whenever a program participant is required by law to swear to or affirm the participant’s address, the participant may use the participant’s substitute address. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
Wherever a program participant is required by law to establish residency, the participant may use the participant’s substitute address. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
The substitute address may be used for motor vehicle records and may be printed on a drivers license. T.C.A. § 40-38-602.
The substitute address may also be used as your official mailing address for all public utilities and public utility service providers. T.C.A. §§ 40-38-602, 606.
Participants may also request that private entities use the substitute address, although they are not required to do so.
Do private businesses have to accept a Safe at Home Participant's substitute address?
Private businesses are not required by statute to accept a Safe at Home Participant's substitute address. However, private companies or agencies are encouraged to make every effort to keep a participant’s information safe by accepting the substitute address whenever possible. If agency or business employees have questions about using the substitute address, they may contact the Safe at Home Program directly.
When can the Substitute Address NOT be used?
When listing, appraising, or assessing property taxes;
When collecting property taxes;
On any document related to real property recorded with a county clerk or recorder.
How do participants vote?
Program Participants must vote by absentee ballot. T.C.A. § 40-38-607.
Program participant absentee ballots must be treated as confidential and must be processed confidentially by the Administrator of Elections. Program participants shall appear in the statewide official voter registration list only by the Participant Identification Number.
What information relating to a participant may be available to law enforcement or administrative agency officials?
As authorized by law, properly designated law enforcement agency officials and administrative agency officials may request disclosure of information relating to a program participant. T.C.A. § 40-38-609. What information may be available to law enforcement or administrative agency officials?
Properly designated law enforcement agency officials and administrative agency officials may request confirmation of program participation pertaining to a supposed program participant.
Properly designated law enforcement agency officials and administrative agency officials may request disclosure of information pertaining to a program participant, including the confidential address, subject to the discretion of the Secretary of State. Program Participants may be entitled to prior notice and appeal rights.
Disclosure of a participant’s confidential address, or any other information contained within a program participant’s file, shall be limited to ensure that the disclosure and dissemination of the confidential address will be no greater than necessary for the specific purpose for which it was requested.
What “Programs or Activities” are covered by Title VI?
To ensure the broad, institution wide application of Title VI and other civil rights statutes Congress passed The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. This act clarifies the definition of “programs and activities” covered by the nondiscrimination provisions of civil rights statutes. The revised definition states that discrimination is prohibited throughout an entire agency or institution, if any part of that agency or institution receives Federal financial assistance.
Examples:
(A) a department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a state or local government; or (B) the entity of such state or local government that distributes such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other state or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the case of assistance to a state or local government;
(A) a college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or a public system of education; or system of vocational education, or other school system.
Title VI applies to discrimination throughout an agency, not just to actions involving the federally assisted program. Therefore, if an agency receives any federal financial assistance for any program or activity the entire agency is required to comply with Title VI, not just that particular program. Example: The Harriet Tubman Express program receives money from HUD, the agency /division that Harriet Tubman Express programs are under (Health Services) must also be in compliance with Title VI rules and regulations.
What is Federal Financial Assistance?
Federal financial assistance means more than just money. It is also aid that enhances the ability to improve or expand allocation of a recipient’s own resources.
Examples:
Student aid (releases recipient’s funds for other uses)
Training of employees (permits better use of the employer)