CA SB 1360
enactedElections: translation of election materials.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
Subscribe in a feed reader. The feed covers recorded actions from the last 30 days; Bill Commons may record an action after it happened at the legislature.
Quick answers
Did CA SB 1360 pass?
Yes. CA SB 1360 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-19): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 339, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA SB 1360 about?
The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires a state or political subdivision in which more than 5% of voting-age citizens, or more than 10,000 voting-age citizens, are members of a single language minority and limited-English proficient to provide certain election materials, including ballots, in the language of the applicable language minority group. Existing state law requires the Secretary of State to determine for each county and precinct whether it is appropriate to provide facsimile copies of the ballot and other election materials in languages other than English. If the Secretary of State determines the number of voting age residents in a county or precinct who are members of a single language minority, and who lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance, is 3% or more of the voting-age residents of the county or precinct, county elections officials must provide facsimile ballots and other election materials in the applicable language. This bill would require the Secretary of State, on or before December 15, 2031, and on or before December 15 in every year ending in 1 or 7 thereafter, to identify the counties where at least 10,000 voting age citizens, or 5% of voting age citizens, are limited English proficient and either members of a single language minority group or speak a shared language. The bill would require the elections official in an identified political subdivision to provide translated election materials in any language that meets those criteria or, for an election occurring before December 15, 2031, in any language in which the political subdivision is required to provide language assistance under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, within a specified period of time. The elections official would be required to translate, among other things, all official and sample ballots, voter registration forms, and election notices and instructions. The elections official would also be required to have a sufficient number of bilingual election workers to provide language assistance to any voter who needs it. If the Secretary of State or another state agency provides election-related forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or services in an identified political subdivision, the bill would require the Secretary of State or other state agency to translate the materials or services into any language that meets the criteria within that political subdivision. Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill would also authorize the Secretary of State to require a political subdivision to provide translated election materials if interested citizens or entities provide the Secretary of State with a preponderance of evidence that a language group meets any of the above-described criteria. The bill would also make various conforming changes. By increasing the duties of local elections officials, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 13307 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 715 to be operative only if this bill and SB 715 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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 CA SB 1360?
Cervantes is the primary sponsor of CA SB 1360, joined by 6 cosponsors.
Description
The federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires a state or political subdivision in which more than 5% of voting-age citizens, or more than 10,000 voting-age citizens, are members of a single language minority and limited-English proficient to provide certain election materials, including ballots, in the language of the applicable language minority group. Existing state law requires the Secretary of State to determine for each county and precinct whether it is appropriate to provide facsimile copies of the ballot and other election materials in languages other than English. If the Secretary of State determines the number of voting age residents in a county or precinct who are members of a single language minority, and who lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance, is 3% or more of the voting-age residents of the county or precinct, county elections officials must provide facsimile ballots and other election materials in the applicable language. This bill would require the Secretary of State, on or before December 15, 2031, and on or before December 15 in every year ending in 1 or 7 thereafter, to identify the counties where at least 10,000 voting age citizens, or 5% of voting age citizens, are limited English proficient and either members of a single language minority group or speak a shared language. The bill would require the elections official in an identified political subdivision to provide translated election materials in any language that meets those criteria or, for an election occurring before December 15, 2031, in any language in which the political subdivision is required to provide language assistance under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, within a specified period of time. The elections official would be required to translate, among other things, all official and sample ballots, voter registration forms, and election notices and instructions. The elections official would also be required to have a sufficient number of bilingual election workers to provide language assistance to any voter who needs it. If the Secretary of State or another state agency provides election-related forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or services in an identified political subdivision, the bill would require the Secretary of State or other state agency to translate the materials or services into any language that meets the criteria within that political subdivision. Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill would also authorize the Secretary of State to require a political subdivision to provide translated election materials if interested citizens or entities provide the Secretary of State with a preponderance of evidence that a language group meets any of the above-described criteria. The bill would also make various conforming changes. By increasing the duties of local elections officials, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 13307 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 715 to be operative only if this bill and SB 715 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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.
- Introduced
- 2026-02-20
- Latest action
- 2026-09-19 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 339, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Cervantesauthor
- Rubiocoauthor
- Wahabcoauthor
- Fongcoauthor
- Garciacoauthor
- Nguyencoauthor
- Pellerincoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-19
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 339, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-09-19
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-09-09
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-31
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 34. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2026-08-30
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-30
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2026-08-30
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 65. Noes 0. Page 6904.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-20
Read third time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-20
Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-17
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-13
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-08-13
Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
2026-08-13
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-05
August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
2026-07-01
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-06-01
Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
referral-committee
2026-05-22
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2026-05-22
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 0. Page 4414.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-14
May 14 set for first hearing. Reconsideration of favorable vote granted.
2026-05-14
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 4274.) (May 14).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-05-14
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-05-08
Set for hearing May 14.
2026-05-04
May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-24
Set for hearing May 4.
2026-04-21
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3971.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-04-14
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-04-09
Set for hearing April 21.
2026-04-08
Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
referral-committee
2026-03-25
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-03-04
Referred to Com. on RLS.
referral-committee
2026-02-23
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
2026-02-23
Read first time.
reading-1
2026-02-20
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,referral-committee
Versions
- 02/20/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-20Compare
- 03/25/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-03-25Compare
- 04/14/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-04-14Compare
- 08/13/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-13Compare
- 08/20/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-20Compare
- 09/04/26 - Enrolled — 2026-09-04Compare
- 09/19/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-19Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
- SB1360Compare
Documents
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- text/html
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf(no extracted text yet)
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
- application/pdf
Votes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-21 · pass · 5-0
Member-level votes (5)
- Allen: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Choi: yes
Placed on suspense file
2026-05-04 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Dahle: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Grayson: yes
Do pass
2026-05-14 · pass · 5-1
Member-level votes (7)
- Wahab: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Seyarto: no
- Dahle: other
[05-14-2026] set for [First] hearing: Reconsideration of favorable vote granted
2026-05-14 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
3rd Reading
2026-05-22 · pass · 28-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Rubio: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cortese: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Limón: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Choi: yes
- Richardson: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Laird: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Becker: other
- Dahle: other
- Hurtado: other
- Padilla: other
- Alvarado-Gil: other
- Seyarto: other
- Stern: other
- Grove: other
- Niello: other
- Strickland: other
- Allen: other
- Jones: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-07-01 · pass · 6-0
Member-level votes (8)
- Elhawary: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Solache: yes
- Berman: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Ellis: other
- Johnson: other
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-21T18:25:32.579903Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
Use this data
Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=CA&identifier=SB 1360. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.
Known limitations
- Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
- Committee referrals are not yet captured.
- Some documents have no extracted text yet, so version comparison may be limited.
See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.