20250ACR_018497CHP INTRODUCED 2026-04-27 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2026-05-11 PASSED_SENATE 2026-06-11 ENROLLED 2026-06-15 CHAPTERED 2026-06-18 FILED 2026-06-18 2025 ACR CHP CHR 0 Introduced by Assembly Member Rivas (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Macedo, McKinnor, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Ramos, Ransom, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, and Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ahrens COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bauer-Kahan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Boerner COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Carrillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Chen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY DeMaio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ellis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Garcia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hadwick COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hart COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Irwin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lackey COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Macedo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ortega COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patterson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Petrie-Norris COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ramos COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Stefani COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Tangipa COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Valencia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ward COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur Relative to Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week.

Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week. This measure would proclaim the week of May 10, 2026, to May 16, 2026, inclusive, as Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week. NO

WHEREAS, Stuttering is a speech dysfluency characterized by repetition of sounds, syllables, or words, prolongation of sounds, and interruptions in speech; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that about percent of the world’s population stutters and roughly 3,000,000 Americans stutter; and

WHEREAS, Organizations dedicated to bringing hope and empowerment to children and adults who stutter through support, education, and advocacy have locations throughout California; and

WHEREAS, Paul Castellano and Barbara Hubbard Koval organized the drive to win Congressional recognition for people who stutter, and in President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation establishing the second week in May as National Stuttering Awareness Week; and

WHEREAS, Many stutterers feel frustration and embarrassment that can lead to harmful emotional stress; and

WHEREAS, Stuttering is a form of verbal diversity and should be recognized as simply a different way of speaking; and

WHEREAS, While raising awareness of stuttering is an important first step, advocates increasingly emphasize the importance of acceptance, which fosters inclusion, reduces stigma, and affirms stuttering as a natural part of human diversity; and

WHEREAS, When stuttering continues into adulthood, a person may have difficulty communicating with other people and stuttering may affect a person’s quality of life, interpersonal relationships, job opportunities, and professional growth; and

WHEREAS, During National Stuttering Awareness Week, many seek to raise awareness about communication disorders and the many ways that people with the daily challenges of stuttering can be supported; and

WHEREAS, By recognizing these challenges, we can draw attention to the needs of persons who stutter, shine a light on these often invisible disabilities, and help avoid the negative consequences of misunderstanding stuttering; and

WHEREAS, Many years of public advocacy campaigns, personal experiences, and individuals or groups acting as informal ambassadors have raised the awareness of both speech disabilities and stuttering; and

WHEREAS, Raising awareness of speech disabilities and stuttering involves awareness not only of individuals but also unique individual needs and contributions; and

WHEREAS, As stuttering awareness campaigns have become more common, so too has public awareness and acceptance; and

WHEREAS, Progress towards awareness and acceptance is to be both celebrated and built upon; and

WHEREAS, The opportunity for inclusiveness is the next logical step in the progress California must make to not only fully support and welcome the voices of people who stutter, but to also show their voices are needed; and

WHEREAS, A growing number of families in California have a family member with a stutter and know that inclusion is a crucial element for their loved ones’ future success; and

WHEREAS, This proclamation will increase and encourage public participation at the local and state government level;

now, therefore,

be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the week of May 10, 2026, to May 16, 2026, inclusive, as Stuttering Awareness and Acceptance Week and encourages all Californians to support the stuttering community; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.