GRASSROOTS AAPI POLICY AGENDA
Alongside our powerful network of grassroots Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations, we have identified the following legislative priorities that serve working-class AAPI immigrant and refugee communities.
PASSED BILLS: 📝
AB 2495 (Kalra): Defending Immigrant Workers
Co-Sponsors: AAPI FORCE, CHIRLA, CELA, ERA, LAAW
Anti-immigrant national rhetoric has emboldened bad-faith employers to increasingly coerce immigrant workers into not reporting violations of workplace rights by making veiled threats, chilling statements, or implicit warnings about immigration consequences.
AB 2495 will clarify existing immigration-related retaliation protections to deter bad faith employers engaging in immigration-related threats as a means to coerce workers into silence around workplace violations.
SB 73 (Cervantes): Protecting Elections from Interference and Intimidation
Co-Sponsors: AAPI FORCE, CHIRLA
SB 73 builds up California’s defenses against federal interference in our democracy by preventing federal officials from inspecting voting machines and extending the existing prohibition against law enforcement officials – such as ICE and CBP agents – being posted at voting locations.
This bill ensures voters can exercise their rights without fear. Protections would take immediate effect, applying to the June Primary, the November General Election and beyond.
SB 1091 (Caballero): Community Anti-Displacement & Preservation Program
SB 1091 creates CAPP, a $500M investment to acquire “naturally occurring” (i.e. unsubsidized) affordable housing in California, taking those properties off the speculative market and providing stability for thousands of renters, who are predominantly low-income people of color. This program would be funded by the affordable housing bond on the November ballot.
SB 1164/SB 1360 (Cervantes): California Voting Rights Act
Co-Sponsors: AAPI FORCE, ACLU CA Action, BLC, CFT, Common Cause CA, HIP, MALDEF, NAACP LDF, and SEIU CA.
SB 1164 responds directly to the federal dismantling of the Voting Rights Act by ensuring state law prohibits all forms of voting discrimination, empowering the California Attorney General to stop discrimination before it happens, and ensuring that voters can challenge discriminatory voting practices in court.
SB 1360 is focused on ensuring limited-English voters can fully participate in California elections. The bill would guarantee federal language assistance requirements under state law and expand language coverage.
Learn more about CA Democracy Partnership Coalition.
SB 417 (Limón, Rivas): Housing Bond of 2026
Co-Sponsors: Housing CA, PICO
This bill would place a $10 billion housing bond on the November 3, 2026 statewide general election ballot to fund production of affordable housing and supportive housing, as well as preserve existing affordable housing.
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AAPI FORCE Network members + Volunteers at
Our People Over Billionaires Press Conference
(June 2026)