00                2d SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 288                                                            
01 "An Act relating to bilingual voting.'"                                                                                 
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1. AS 15.15 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
04            Sec. 15.15.245. Voting assistance for persons with limited English                                         
05       proficiency. (a) The director shall                                                                             
06                 (1)  provide bilingual voting materials or oral translation help at polling                             
07       places and absentee voting stations designated under AS 15.20.045(b) in an election                               
08       district in which at least five percent of the voting-age citizens speak a single common                          
09       language other than English and are persons with limited English proficiency, as                                  
10       determined by the director of the United States Bureau of the Census, based on the                                
11       latest available American Community Survey census data or comparable census data;                                 
12       and                                                                                                               
13                 (2)  ensure, to the greatest degree possible, the accurate translation of                               
14       voting materials and the accuracy and availability of oral translation help provided to                           
15       persons with limited English proficiency.                                                                         

01            (b)  In this section,                                                                                        
02                 (1)  "voting materials" means registration or voting notices, forms,                                    
03       instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral                             
04       process, including ballots;                                                                                       
05                 (2)  "with limited English proficiency" means unable to speak or                                        
06       understand English well enough to participate in the electoral process.