Accents on California birth certificates? A lawmaker is trying to make it happen for a third time
A lawmaker is continuing a yearslong effort to ensure some Californians have their names spelled correctly on public documents.
The measure, Assembly Bill 64, targets a 38-year-old law that bans the use of diacritical marks — such as tildes and accents — on marriage licenses and certificates of birth or death. Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, D-Downey, introduced the bill Tuesday hoping to finally reverse that. Repeated versions of the legislation have failed over the last decade.
“There is no real justification for erasing the nuanced spelling and pronunciation of people’s names and their cultural heritage,” Pacheco said in a statement. “AB 64 honors the diversity of California’s residents, ensuring that every name is recorded with the respect and authenticity it deserves.”
Under the bill, diacritical marks would be allowed on these government documents and residents could request new ones for a fee. When attached to a letter, diacritical marks indicate a particular pronunciation as well as meaning.
For many communities, the correct spelling of their name is closely tied to cultural heritage and identity. Last year, Nicolás, Nancy Chaires Espinoza and Pablo Espinoza — a Sacramento family — spoke in favor of the bill. Nicolás, then-6, said he wanted “to be able to spell my name correctly.”
The ban on these marks is traced back to 1986’s Proposition 63, which established English as the official state language. The Department of Public Health has not allowed diacritical marks since.
Supporters have long argued the department is selective in which marks are allowed. While diacritical marks are deemed “unacceptable entries,” hyphens and apostrophes are permitted, according to the California Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records handbook.”
In recent years, states including Texas, Kansas, Hawaii, North Carolina and Alaska have passed policies allowing for diacritical marks.
But previous versions of such a bill continually fail in California.
One attempt introduced in 2014 failed after facing opposition from state agencies who said the bill would cost roughly $10 million to reprogram and upgrade software.
In 2017, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the bill due to concerns that it would create inconsistencies with federal government records and require “significant state funds” to replace or modify existing systems. The U.S. federal government does not use diacritical marks on documents, such as passports and social security cards.
Pacheco’s last two versions of the bill have stalled in committees.
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Accents on California birth certificates? A lawmaker is trying to make it happen for a third time."
