California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: To Executive Bipartisan · 4 D · 1 R cosponsors

AB 884 — Elections: language accessibility.

Last action — Vetoed by Governor.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) on September 22, 2024.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

(1) Existing state and federal law, including the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, require the Secretary of State and county elections officials to provide language assistance to voters in order to access voting information, register to vote, and cast their votes at the polling place. Existing law requires a county elections official to provide a facsimile copy of the ballot with the ballot measures and ballot instructions printed in Spanish and other languages if the Secretary of State has determined that doing so is appropriate, as specified. This bill would, by December 15, 2025, and by December 15 of every subsequent year following a presidential election, require the Secretary of State to determine the number of residents of voting age in each county and precinct who are members of a single language minority group and who lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance, as specified. The bill would require that, by that same date, the Secretary of State make publicly available on the Secretary of State's internet website a list of languages used by single language minority groups, as specified. Beginning January 1, 2028, this bill would further require the Secretary of State and county elections officials to provide specified materials in the language of the applicable language minority group as well as in the English language. (2) Existing law requires the Secretary of State to make specified findings and determinations regarding the provision of ballot materials in languages other than English. Until January 1, 2028, this bill would direct the Secretary to make those findings and determinations by December 15 of each year following a presidential election, and it would further limit the expansion of categories of covered languages for the purpose of providing facsimile ballots. As of January 1, 2028, this bill would impose new requirements relating to translated ballots, including requiring the training of specified precinct board members. The bill would make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires the elections official to send a voter information guide that contains the written statement of each candidate. Existing law requires the elections official to provide a Spanish translation of the written statement to each candidate who wishes to have one and to select a person to provide the translation who is, among other things, a certified and registered interpreter on the judicial council master list or a current voting member in good standing of the American Translators Association. This bill would add a language speaker with relevant experience in providing certified translations of legal documents who has been referred by a nonprofit agency to the list of eligible individuals that may provide the translation. (4) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 3184 to be operative only if this bill and AB 3184 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill would incorporate changes to Section 4005 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 1450 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1450 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Vetoed by Governor.

  2. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

  3. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 0.).

  4. Assembly Rule 77 suspended.

  5. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 30 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

  6. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 1.).

  7. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  11. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 15).

  12. In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file.

  13. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

  15. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  16. Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

  17. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  18. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 65. Noes 0. Page 3948.)

  19. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  20. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  21. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (January 18).

  22. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  23. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  24. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  25. Coauthors revised.

  26. Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

  27. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.

  28. Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

  29. From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.

  30. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 115 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Low

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (115)

115 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 115 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Votes

AB 884 Low Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 72 Yea · 0 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 43004
Republican 11003
Unaffiliated 18000
Total 72007
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (79)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Villapudua — Yea
Ting — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Not Voting
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Not Voting
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Not Voting
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Not Voting
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Essayli, Bill Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Not Voting
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading AB884 Low et al. By Wahab

Passed 38 Yea · 1 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 10100
Democratic 22000
Republican 6001
Total 38101
% of votes cast 95%3%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Wilk — Nay
Eggman — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Not Voting
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 884 Low Assembly Third Reading

Passed 65 Yea · 0 Nay · 15 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 42005
Unaffiliated 16003
Republican 7007
Total 650015
% of votes cast 81%0%0%19%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Villapudua — Yea
Ting — Yea
Mathis — Not Voting
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Not Voting
Luz Rivas — Yea
Vince Fong — Not Voting
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Not Voting
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Not Voting
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Not Voting
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Not Voting
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Not Voting
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Not Voting
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Essayli, Bill Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Not Voting
Gallagher, James Republican Not Voting
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Not Voting
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 12 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9000
Unaffiliated 3000
Republican 0004
Total 12004
% of votes cast 75%0%0%25%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Villapudua — Yea
Wood — Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Not Voting
Dixon, Diane Republican Not Voting
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting
Ta, Tri Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights elections
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 884 do?
(1) Existing state and federal law, including the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, require the Secretary of State and county elections officials to provide language assistance to voters in order to access voting information, register to vote, and cast their votes at the polling place. Existing law requires a county elections official to provide a facsimile copy of the ballot with the ballot measures and ballot instructions printed in Spanish and other languages if the Secretary of State has determined that doing so is appropriate, as specified. This bill would, by December 15, 2025, and by December 15 of every subsequent year following a presidential election, require the Secretary of State to determine the number of residents of voting age in each county and precinct who are members of a single language minority group and who lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance, as specified. The bill would require that, by that same date, the Secretary of State make publicly available on the Secretary of State's internet website a list of languages used by single language minority groups, as specified. Beginning January 1, 2028, this bill would further require the Secretary of State and county elections officials to provide specified materials in the language of the applicable language minority group as well as in the English language. (2) Existing law requires the Secretary of State to make specified findings and determinations regarding the provision of ballot materials in languages other than English. Until January 1, 2028, this bill would direct the Secretary to make those findings and determinations by December 15 of each year following a presidential election, and it would further limit the expansion of categories of covered languages for the purpose of providing facsimile ballots. As of January 1, 2028, this bill would impose new requirements relating to translated ballots, including requiring the training of specified precinct board members. The bill would make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires the elections official to send a voter information guide that contains the written statement of each candidate. Existing law requires the elections official to provide a Spanish translation of the written statement to each candidate who wishes to have one and to select a person to provide the translation who is, among other things, a certified and registered interpreter on the judicial council master list or a current voting member in good standing of the American Translators Association. This bill would add a language speaker with relevant experience in providing certified translations of legal documents who has been referred by a nonprofit agency to the list of eligible individuals that may provide the translation. (4) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 3184 to be operative only if this bill and AB 3184 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill would incorporate changes to Section 4005 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 1450 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1450 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Who sponsors AB 884?
AB 884 is sponsored by Ting, Wahab, Aisha (Democratic), Low, Cervantes, Sabrina (Democratic), Chen, Phillip (Republican), Lee, Alex (Democratic), and Nguyen, Stephanie (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 884?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 884?
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