SB 523

  • California Senate Bill
  • 2019-2020 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Feb 21, 2019
  • Passed Senate May 22, 2019
  • Passed Assembly Sep 11, 2019
  • Signed by Governor Oct 08, 2019

Elections: vote by mail ballots.

Abstract

(1) Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope of the ballot to specified records of the voter's signature. If the signature does not compare, existing law requires the elections official, at least 8 days before the certification of the election, to provide the voter with notice of an opportunity to verify the voter's signature by signing and delivering a signature verification statement to the elections official, as specified. If the elections official determines that the voter has not signed the ballot identification envelope, existing law prohibits the elections official from rejecting the vote by mail ballot if the voter either signs the ballot identification envelope at the office of the elections official during regular business hours, or completes and submits an unsigned ballot statement, as specified, before 5 p.m. on the 8th day after the election. This bill would, in the case of a voter whose signatures do not match, require the elections official to notify the voter, at least 8 days before the certification of the election, of an opportunity to verify the voter's signature. It would extend the deadline for a voter who did not sign the ballot identification envelope to sign the envelope, or sign and deliver an unsigned ballot statement, to no later than 5 p.m. 2 days before the certification of the election. (2) Existing law provides that certain information on a voter's affidavit of registration, including the voter's home address and signature, is confidential and prohibits disclosure of the information except in specified circumstances. This bill would require information regarding voters who did not sign a vote by mail ballot identification envelope, or whose signature on the vote by mail ballot identification envelope did not match the voter's signature on file, to also be treated as confidential and would prohibit disclosure of the information except in specified circumstances. The bill would require any disclosure of the information to be accompanied by a specified notice relating to misuse of the information. Because the bill would impose additional duties on a local elections official, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Sponsors (2)

Votes


Actions


Oct 08, 2019

California State Legislature

Approved by the Governor.

California State Legislature

Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 568, Statutes of 2019.

Sep 19, 2019

California State Legislature

Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

Sep 12, 2019

Senate

Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 11. Page 2903.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

Sep 11, 2019

Senate

In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

Assembly

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 61. Noes 18. Page 3434.) Ordered to the Senate.

Aug 22, 2019

Assembly

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Aug 21, 2019

Assembly

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 5.) (August 21).

Assembly

Coauthors revised.

Aug 13, 2019

Assembly

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Amendment-Passage
  • Committee-Passage
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

Jul 03, 2019

Assembly

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (July 3). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
  • Committee-Passage
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

Jun 03, 2019

Assembly

Referred to Com. on E. & R.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on E. & R.

May 22, 2019

Assembly

In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

Senate

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 1212.) Ordered to the Assembly.

May 16, 2019

Senate

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Senate

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 2. Page 1102.) (May 16).

May 10, 2019

Senate

Set for hearing May 16.

Apr 22, 2019

Senate

April 22 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

Apr 05, 2019

Senate

Set for hearing April 22.

Apr 02, 2019

Senate

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 524.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
  • Committee-Passage
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

Mar 13, 2019

Senate

Set for hearing April 2.

Mar 07, 2019

Senate

Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on E. & C.A.

Feb 22, 2019

Senate

From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

Feb 21, 2019

Senate

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
SB523 HTML
02/21/19 - Introduced PDF
08/13/19 - Amended Assembly PDF
09/16/19 - Enrolled PDF
10/08/19 - Chaptered PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
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Sources

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