California Assembly Bill AB1443 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1443AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 23, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chau FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2600) to Division 2 of the Elections Code, relating to voters. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1443, as amended, Chau. Voters: language accessibility. Existing law establishes the Secretary of State as the chief elections officer of the state and requires that he or she ensure that elections are efficiently conducted and that state election laws are enforced. Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature that non-English-speaking citizens, like all other citizens, should be encouraged to vote and that appropriate efforts should be made to minimize obstacles to voting by citizens who lack sufficient skill in English to vote without assistance. This bill would require the Secretary of State to establish a Language Accessibility Advisory Committee. The committee would consist of  at least 15 members and would include  the Secretary of State, his or her designees, and additional members appointed by the Secretary of State who either have demonstrated language accessibility experience  for languages covered under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965  or are county elections officials. The bill would require the Secretary of State to consult with and consider the recommendations of the committee. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2600) is added to Division 2 of the Elections Code, to read: CHAPTER 8. LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY 2600. The Secretary of State shall establish a Language Accessibility Advisory  Committee.   Committee which shall meet no less than four times each calendar year.  The committee shall consist  of no less than fifteen members and be comprised  of the Secretary of State and his or her designee or designees and additional members appointed by the Secretary of State. The appointees shall either have demonstrated language accessibility experience  for languages covered under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965   (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10101 et seq.)  or be a county elections official.  At least three county elections officials shall be appointed to the committee.  The Secretary of State shall consult with and consider the recommendations of the committee. The committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of State.