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Anaheim council unanimously backs AB 91 to add MENA category to state demographic data
Summary
Council voted 7–0 to approve a resolution supporting Assembly Bill 91, which would require California agencies that collect demographic data to include a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) category beginning in 2026; local MENA advocates urged the measure at the meeting.
The Anaheim City Council voted unanimously on March 25 to approve a resolution supporting Assembly Bill 91, known as the MENA Inclusion Act, a state bill that would require California departments and agencies to include a distinct Middle Eastern and North African demographic category in data collection starting January 1, 2026.
The council’s resolution recognizes the presence and contributions of Anaheim’s MENA community—pointing to Little Arabia and local organizations that provide services to Arab, Middle Eastern and North African residents—and transmits the city’s support to state lawmakers.
Why the change is being sought
Speakers from local community organizations told the council that MENA populations are currently captured under broader racial categories at both state and federal levels, limiting the accuracy of public‑health,…
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