Assembly hearing: AB 367 would codify language-access services for Nevada elections

Assemblymember Cecilia Gonzales (D–Assembly District 16) introduced Assembly Bill 367 on March 19, 2025, proposing to codify and fund expanded language-access services for Nevada elections so voters who are limited English proficient or who use American Sign Language can access voting information and assistance.

Why it matters: Nevada ranks among the nation’s most diverse states by the 2020 U.S. Census. Supporters said codifying services that the Secretary of State’s office already provides on a voluntary basis will make those resources permanent, reduce voter confusion, and promote broader civic participation.

What AB 367 would do: As presented by Assemblymember Gonzales and co-presenter Chanel Casanello of All Voting Is Local, the bill (as conceptualized in the sponsors’ amendment) would do five primary things:

- Codify a year-round telephone interpretation and translation hotline operated by the Secretary of State’s office providing services in more than 200 languages, including American Sign Language, for voting-related questions.

- Require the Secretary of State’s website to provide translated election information in at least the seven most common languages in Nevada: Spanish, Tagalog (Filipino), Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese), Vietnamese, Korean, Thai and provide American Sign Language resources.

- Authorize voters to use personal devices, such as cell phones and tablets, inside polling places to access interpretation services for voters who are deaf, hard of hearing, or limited-English-proficient.

- Require all statewide communications from the Secretary of State to be issued in English and Spanish.

- Fund a Language Access Coordinator position in the Secretary of State’s office to plan and manage language-access programming.

What presenters and witnesses said: Assemblymember Cecilia Gonzales said, “Every Nevadan has a fundamental right to participate in the electoral process,” and framed the bill as a way to reduce language barriers that discourage participation.

Chanel Casanello, campaign manager at All Voting Is Local Action Nevada, explained the sponsors’ conceptual amendment and said the hotline, website translations and a coordinator would serve voters who are not covered by federal language-access thresholds. She described the hotline (launched in 2024) as an existing resource that the bill would codify.

Mark Wlaschin (transcript spelling), Deputy Secretary of State for Elections, testified about the Secretary of State’s current approach: the office uses state procurement contracts, national guidance from the Election Assistance Commission, and community consultation to produce translations and account for dialect and local preferences.

Dozens of community witnesses testified in support. Students and advocates cited direct experience translating for family members and urged the committee to pass the bill to avoid placing translation burdens on children. Organizations offering support included Make the Road Nevada, Silver State Voices, Campion Legal Center, Mi Familia Acción, ACLU of Nevada, and the Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The Secretary of State, represented from Las Vegas by Chief Deputy Gabriel DeCara, communicated the Secretary’s support.

Opposition and questions: Opponents who called or testified opposed the measure on fiscal or assimilation grounds; testimony included concern about printing costs for many languages and an argument that English instruction should be prioritized. Supporters and committee members pressed for technical clarifications, including who performs translations, how dialects are handled, and how American Sign Language interpretation would be provided at scale.

Committee process and next steps: The hearing record closed after about 30 minutes of public testimony in each position (support, opposition, neutral) as noted by the chair. No final committee vote on AB 367 was recorded in the transcript; the bill remained at the hearing stage with sponsors and the Secretary of State’s office available for follow-up questions.

Ending: Supporters urged the Legislature to codify the Secretary of State’s language-access tools to ensure reliability going forward; the Secretary’s office said it would continue to provide technical answers about implementation and dialect handling.