The City of Santa Maria’s Language Access Plan, completed in August 2021, describes the City’s efforts to ensure meaningful access to City programs and activities by Santa Maria residents who are Limited English Proficiency who as a result of national origin, do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to speak, read, write, or understand English. The goal of this plan is to ensure that Limited English Proficiency individuals have meaningful access to City services, benefits, and assertion of rights relating to City programs.

To improve accessibility and transparency, the City of Santa Maria offers live closed captioning (subtitles) in English or Spanish during its government meeting broadcasts. The dual language captioning gives viewers, including the hearing impaired, a valuable resource to watch and understand what is happening with their local government. The live closed captioning is for live and replays of City Council and Planning Commission meetings on Comcast Cable Channel 23 and streaming online at CityofSantaMaria.org/tv.

 Viewers using Channel 23 can use their remote control or TV settings to enable captions. English Captions are available on CC 1 and Spanish captions are available on CC 3 in the settings. Videos explaining this are below: