Senate committee clears bill to expand language access for voters with limited English proficiency

Senator Cervantes presented SB 1360 as part of a voting‑rights package to expand language access for limited‑English‑proficient (LEP) voters. The bill would codify protections similar to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act into state law, expand the list of covered languages beyond those covered federally, lower the numeric threshold for required coverage from 10,000 to 5,000 voting‑age LEP citizens in a county, and establish a petition process for communities that are undercounted in census data.

Supporters — including Grama Sahid (Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans), Deanna Kitamura (Asian Law Caucus), Adam Liaz (LDF) and others — urged the committee to adopt the bill, saying it would improve participation for millions of Californians who speak languages other than English. Sahid said the petition process is critical for dispersed or undercounted communities and that language access is about "dignity" and giving communities a voice.

County elections officials, represented by Kathy Fung of the Los Angeles County Registrar‑Recorder and co‑chair of CACEO's elections legislative committee, registered respectful opposition unless amended. Fung asked for changes to the precinct‑based imputation model in current law, recommended using countywide formulas, sought clearer petition standards and requested a state appropriation rather than a reimbursement model to ensure consistent quality and avoid overburdening counties.

The committee moved SB 1360 out of committee (the transcript records a committee vote reported as 5–0) and supporters said they will keep working with county officials on technical determinations and funding approaches.