AB 1242 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Language access.

Summary

Existing law, the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, requires every state agency directly involved in the furnishing of information or the rendering of services to the public where contact is made with a substantial number of non-English-speaking people to employ a sufficient number of qualified bilingual persons in public contact positions to ensure provision of information and services to the public in the language of the non-English-speaking person, except as specified. The act requires every state agency that serves a substantial number of non-English-speaking people and provides materials in English explaining services to also provide the same type of materials in any non-English language spoken by a substantial number of the public served by the agency, as specified. The act also requires a state agency to distribute certain written materials in the appropriate non-English language or provide other specified translation assistance at its statewide and local offices and facilities if the state agency finds, among other things, that the statewide or local office or facility serves a substantial number of non-English-speaking persons. The act defines "substantial number of non-English-speaking people" to mean members of a group who either do not speak English or who are unable to effectively communicate in English because it is not their native language and who comprise 5% or more of the people served by the state agency, as specified. This bill would revise the definition of "substantial number of non-English-speaking people" to include the higher of either the people served by or eligible to be served by the state agency and would make related conforming changes to the act. The act requires each state agency to conduct a language survey of each of its statewide and local offices every 2 years to determine and provide, among other things, the number and percentage of non-English-speaking people served by each statewide and local office, broken down by native language. The act requires each state agency to develop and update an implementation plan that provides a detailed description of how the agency plans to address any deficiencies in meeting the requirements of the act, as specified. The act authorizes a state agency to rely upon data gathered from its most recent language survey in developing its implementation plan. This bill would revise and recast the above-described language survey requirements to instead require each state agency to conduct an assessment and survey of the language needs of non-English-speaking and limited-English-speaking people, as specified. The bill would require a state agency to utilize specified information in conducting the assessment and survey and in developing and updating the above-described implementation plan, including, among other things, the most recent census data from the United States Census Bureau. The bill would authorize a state agency to rely on its most recent survey and assessment in developing its implementation plan. The act requires each state agency to report to the Department of Human Resources the language survey results, its implementation plan, and any additional information requested by the department, as specified. The act requires the department to review the results of the surveys and implementation plans, compile that data, and provide a report to the Legislature every 2 years that identifies significant problems or deficiencies and propose solutions where warranted. This bill would include each state agency's most recent language assessment in the materials required to be reported to and reviewed by the department and would require the department's report to the Legislature to include each state agency's language assessment, survey results, and implementation plan. This bill would also require the California Health and Human Services Agency to designate a Language Access Director to ensure individuals with limited English proficiency and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have meaningful access to government programs and services. This bill would require the Language Access Director to, among other things, lead the implementation, monitoring, and periodic updating of every Language Access Plan within the agency and coordinate with language access coordinators throughout the agency to implement each Language Access Plan. The bill would require the Language Access Director, commencing no later than January 1, 2027, to engage communities with limited English proficiency and deaf and hard of hearing communities to assist in expanding access to the programs and services provided by the California Health and Human Services Agency and the various departments and offices within the agency. This bill would require the Language Access Director to develop a Language Access Plan Guidance Document to support its various departments and offices in the development of their Language Access Plans. The bill would require each department and office within the agency to develop a Language Access Plan, as specified. The bill would require the California Health and Human Services Agency to allocate, from a specified appropriation, sufficient funds to implement and carry out the provisions relating to the Language Access Director and Language Access Plans.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

07/09/25 - Amended Senate → AB1242 · 2 edits

MINOR

This diff reflects a change in document presentation format rather than substantive policy. The bill text was converted from a traditional legislative print format (with embedded line numbers, page headers/footers, and specific column layout) to a clean web-based text format with navigation elements. The actual statutory language of AB 1242 remains unchanged between these two versions.

TECHNICAL

Removed traditional legislative document formatting including embedded line numbers (e.g., 'line 1', 'line 2'), page headers and footers (e.g., '96', 'AB 1242', page numbers), and column-based layout.

Added web navigation elements including site links (home, accessibility, FAQ, feedback, sitemap, login), search functionality, bill tracking options, and version selection dropdown.

05/23/25 - Amended Assembly → 07/09/25 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · Jul 9, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate amendment to AB 1242 makes four substantive changes that collectively weaken the bill's language access requirements. Most significantly, it redefines the 'substantial number' threshold to use the higher of served or eligible populations (making it harder for agencies to trigger translation obligations), removes the biennial legislative reporting requirement, removes the right of individuals to request document translations in writing, and changes the Language Access Director from a newly established position to one the agency merely designates.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'substantial number of non-English-speaking people' (Gov. Code 7296.2) was changed from a single combined figure (people served or eligible to be served) to using the HIGHER of either the people actually served by an office or the people eligible to be served as determined by survey data. This makes it harder for an agency to meet the 5% threshold that triggers translation and language assistance obligations, because if the eligible population is larger than the served population, the percentage will be lower.

REQUIREMENT

Section 135004, which required the California Health and Human Services Agency (under the Language Access Director) to submit a biennial report to the Legislature starting November 1, 2027, containing challenges encountered, lessons learned, best practices, and metrics on individuals with limited English proficiency and deaf or hard of hearing individuals using agency services, was removed entirely.

Subdivision (g) of Section 135002, which required the Language Access Director to ensure a document is translated when an individual with limited English proficiency submits a written request for translation into their preferred language, was removed. This eliminates an explicit statutory right for individuals to request translations.

SCOPE

Section 135000 was changed from 'There is hereby established within the California Health and Human Services Agency the Language Access Director' to 'The California Health and Human Services Agency shall designate a Language Access Director.' This shifts from creating a new statutory position to requiring the agency to designate someone, giving the agency more flexibility in how it fills the role.

03/28/25 - Amended Assembly → 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · May 23, 2025

MODERATE

The May 23, 2025 amendment to AB 1242 removes the bill's amendment to Government Code Section 7290 (which named the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act), broadens the definition of bilingual employee language skills from 'speak' to 'speak or use,' adds a requirement that survey data be based on specified information sources, and changes the fiscal committee designation from 'no' to 'yes.' The remaining changes are technical cleanups including typo fixes and removal of duplicated drafting text.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed by removing the amendment to Government Code Section 7290 (the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act naming provision). The remaining provisions continue to apply to all state agencies that serve or are eligible to serve a substantial number of non-English-speaking people.

SCOPE

The bill no longer amends Government Code Section 7290, which previously contained the naming provision for the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act. This narrows the bill's scope by dropping that amendment entirely.

DEFINITION

In Section 7299.4(b)(3), the language used to count bilingual employees' skills was broadened from 'languages they speak' to 'languages they speak or use, other than English,' which could include sign languages and other non-spoken communication modes.

REQUIREMENT

Section 7299.4(b)(4) now requires that the number and percentage of non-English-speaking people be determined 'based on any of the information described in subdivision (a),' tying survey results more explicitly to the specified data sources (census data, English Learner Data, Language Microdata, etc.).

FISCAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires fiscal committee review and likely has new or reassessed budgetary implications.

TECHNICAL

Multiple drafting errors were cleaned up: removed duplicated words ('chapter chapter,' 'non- non-English-speaking'), fixed a typo ('lanaguage'), removed leftover old text that had been left alongside new text in Sections 7299.4(a) and (c), and corrected 'Internet Web site' to 'internet website.'

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/28/25 - Amended Assembly · 9 edits · Mar 28, 2025

MAJOR

AB 1242 was dramatically expanded from a minor technical fix to a comprehensive language access overhaul. The original bill only corrected a typo in the name of the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act. The amended version broadens the definition of who counts as a 'substantial number' of non-English-speaking people, replaces existing language survey requirements with more robust assessment and survey mandates tied to census data, and creates an entirely new Division 115 in the Health and Safety Code establishing a Language Access Director within the California Health and Human Services Agency with sweeping planning, reporting, and community engagement duties.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a single technical correction in one Government Code section to a multi-code overhaul affecting the Government Code (Sections 7290, 7295.2, 7295.4, 7296.2, 7299.3, 7299.4, 7299.6) and creating an entirely new division in the Health and Safety Code (Sections 135000-135006). It now applies to all state agencies for survey and reporting requirements, and specifically to the California Health and Human Services Agency and all its departments and offices for Language Access Plan development and implementation.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'substantial number of non-English-speaking people' (Section 7296.2) now includes persons who are 'eligible to be served' by a state agency, not just those actually served. This lowers the threshold for when agencies must provide translated materials and bilingual staff.

New definitions are established for 'qualified interpreter' and 'qualified translator,' which explicitly exclude machine-based or AI-generated interpretation and translation unless a qualified person reviews and corrects the output before it reaches the intended audience.

REQUIREMENT

Section 7299.4 replaces the existing 'language survey' with a broader 'assessment and survey of the language needs of non-English-speaking and limited-English-speaking people.' Agencies must now use specific data sources including US Census Bureau data, English Learner Data from the State Department of Education, Language Microdata for California from the DRU Data Portal, and community-level input such as focus groups and roundtables.

Each department and office within the California Health and Human Services Agency must develop a Language Access Plan covering identification of individuals needing language assistance, types of services available (including free sign language and oral interpretation), staff training, public notice of available services, monitoring mechanisms, and biennial plan updates.

ENFORCEMENT

The Department of Human Resources biennial report to the Legislature must now include each state agency's language assessment, survey results, and implementation plan (Section 7299.6), increasing transparency and accountability.

Starting November 1, 2027, and every other year thereafter, the California Health and Human Services Agency must submit a detailed report to the Legislature covering challenges, lessons learned, metrics on LEP and deaf/hard of hearing service users by language, translation and interpretation request volumes, training strategies, and goal assessments.

SCOPE

A new Division 115 (Sections 135000-135006) is added to the Health and Safety Code establishing a Language Access Director within the California Health and Human Services Agency responsible for oversight, coordination, and accountability across all departments and offices in the agency.

TIMELINE

The Language Access Director must engage limited English proficiency and deaf/hard of hearing communities no later than January 1, 2027, including conducting targeted outreach, multilingual marketing, and establishing a grant program lasting at least two years for community-based organizations.

FISCAL

The California Health and Human Services Agency must allocate sufficient funds from its Budget Act of 2023 appropriation (Chapter 12 of the Statutes of 2023) to implement the Language Access Director position and all related Language Access Plan requirements. The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' confirming a fiscal impact.

Floor votes · Assembly Jun 4, 2025

How they voted

71–3

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 78

Jun 4, 2025

D Democratic59

59 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

12 Yea 3 Nay 4

63% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 18, 2025

Committee

In committee: Referred to suspense file.

upper

Jul 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jul 8, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 8).

upper

Jul 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on G.O. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on G.O.

upper

Jun 18, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and G.O.

upper

Jun 4, 2025

Assembly · Passed

Assembly Vote: pass (71-3-4)

assembly

Jun 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 3. Page 2016.)

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

May 23, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (May 23).

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and HUM. S.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors