Language Assistance for Elections Act

Current understanding

Michigan SB0963 (103rd Legislature) would create a new standalone Language Assistance for Elections Act requiring language assistance for voters. It is tie-barred with SB0961 (Michigan State Voting Rights Act) and SB0962, meaning all three bills would need to be enacted together to take effect. Mechanics of what triggers assistance, which languages qualify, and clerk obligations are not yet captured here.

Evidence log

• 2026-05-13 — Elections: voting procedures; voter access and assistance provisions; provide for. Amends secs. 726, 736 & 751 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.726 et seq.); adds secs. 653c, 653d, 653e, 726a & 753a & repeals sec. 579 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.579). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5969’26, HB 5971’26: HB 5972 introduced with tie-bar to HB 5971 (House Language Assistance for Elections Act), linking the voter access/assistance procedural amendments to enactment of the language-assistance framework in the House package. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-05-13 — Elections: voters; language assistance for elections act; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5969’26, HB 5970’26: 2026-06-16 — HB 5971 introduced as House companion creating the same Language Assistance for Elections Act, tie-barred with HB 5969 and HB 5970 (parallel to the SB 0961–0963 Senate package). (novelty: 3)
• 2026-06-16 — Elections: voters; language assistance for elections act; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0961’26, SB 0962’26: cross-connection with state-voting-rights-act: SB0963 (Language Assistance) is tie-barred with SB0961 (Michigan State Voting Rights Act) as part of the same election-reform package requiring joint enactment. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

Related