AB 615 (Torrico):
Help All Californians in a Disaster
Earthquakes. Floods. Wildfires. California has long been prone to disasters, and emergency preparedness planning at the state and local levels is critical to ensure our state is equipped to recover from a disaster. As home to over 6 million limited-English proficient (LEP) individuals, California poses unique challenges for disaster responders. Forty percent of Asian and Pacific Islander American and Latino communities are LEP, and certain ethnic groups, including Central Americans and Southeast Asians, have even higher rates of limited-English proficiency. The state’s emergency preparedness planning must account for the needs of our state’s significant LEP population.
Before another major disaster strikes California, the Little Hoover Commission has highlighted that our state and local agencies must be prepared to accommodate communication for large numbers of LEP individuals. AB 615 (Torrico) would ensure our emergency preparedness planning responds to language assistance needs.
More information on AB 615 is provided in the RESOURCES section, at right.