ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — Senator Maria Elena Durazo's proposed bill would require cities and counties to translate public meetings when 20% of residents speak limited English, but who will pay for it?
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new bill proposed by Senator Maria Elena Durazo aims to make public meetings more accessible by requiring certain cities and counties to provide translation services, but local governments may have to foot the bill for these accommodations.
Cities like Arvin are already ahead of the curve, having implemented translation services for their predominantly Spanish-speaking community.
"I thank Senator Maria Elena Durazo for her legislation," Arvin Mayor Olivia Calderon said.
"From the start, we have said that we need to be fully accessible. The best way to represent our community is that the community feels welcomed, is informed, has the material available, so that they can come in and participate," Calderon said.
Senate Bill 707 would update the Brown Act to require cities and counties to livestream their meetings, offer translation services, and provide teleconferencing options. The bill would mandate translated agendas when 20% or more of a community speaks limited English.
In Arvin, where 95% of residents are Hispanic and primarily Spanish-speaking, city officials say they're already implementing these practices.
"We are working on assuring that the agenda is also—the agenda itself is also translated in Spanish. But I will tell you that with or without that legislation going into effect into law, Arvin is leading the way cause that's exactly what we're doing here in our city," Calderon said.
According to Calderon, the city has invested approximately $30,000 in translation and streaming technology so that residents could stream public meetings on the city's website.
However, not all local governments support the proposed legislation. In a letter to Senator Durazo, Kern County Board of Supervisors Chair Leticia Perez expressed concerns about the bill.
"Bill SB 707 would impose unfunded mandates on local government and significantly increase administrative and financial burdens without providing state reimbursement," Perez stated in the letter.
23ABC reached out to Senator Durazo's office for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Mayor Calderon estimates that the streaming services for the council meetings will be ready by early fall.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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