[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6622854,"mediaKeyId","2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b","parentId",2781226,"title","Committee advances AB 331 to clarify certification duties, curb misleading ballot envelopes and ensure jailed voters receive voter guides","audioSeconds",714,"startMs",3848000,"endMs",4562000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b&start=3848&end=4562","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b/thumbnail_3848000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6622854/California/Committee-advances-AB-331-to-clarify-certification-duties-curb-misleading-ballot-envelopes-and-ensure-jailed-voters-receive-voter-guides","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622854-b4d222fd7ebce8405e629a01a0453180/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437720&Signature=DUrqCR7obReLAT5umXXKxTDEg7TPxFl-3231hOrU486Fvz5UlMUyVLx0SYlCyKuGj7Xe99pabkiYg1-FLrr6qtjIY5KVJdL3J~A7U81CCOYP1UNykEzT0cKF3K2TUH~D6WySO82ay1QN6Hfu02JOB-F7m-1xvE8b3aPavHIUViQebcrZMi6V4RUtp~1fmDJuk3c11M8XiOSVEZd0gFpQAFF-CJuhqGsZvFWfvKaOL4OA11HFn7CEexa1VSXRILoOUmo6h-ncsR9oofhHOdKDWSOQhVWnUMsbdj0SrhNeTHy7zG3~eJT0e5g4~WAO6YaLDRpwNJKP9YFvkEMqJdeKNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","The California State Assembly Elections Committee on March 26 voted to pass AB 331, authored by Chair Pellerin, which would (1) clarify that a county elections official's duty to certify election results is ministerial and nondiscretionary, (2) make distributing fraudulent or misleading ballot return envelopes a crime and (3) require that state and county voter information guides be delivered to county jails in a format jails can accept so registered jailed voters receive them.

The bill's sponsors include the state Attorney General's Office. Deputy Attorney General Tiffany Brokaw told the committee AB 331 is a proactive step to strengthen and clarify California's election laws following post-2020 trends in other states where some local officials delayed or refused certification. Brokaw and Deputy Attorney General Michael Cohen said the requirement to deliver jail voter guides in a format accepted by jails (for example, unstapled or otherwise permitted formats) is intended to ensure jailed registered voters receive statutorily required information.

The Secretary of State's legislative deputy, Tim Cromartie, submitted a letter of concerns and testified that while the office supports the bill's broad objectives, the bill as drafted would pose substantial implementation challenges if the Secretary of State were required to take custody of a county's materials and conduct a county-level canvass or tabulation. Cromartie said the Secretary of State currently lacks systems, secure facilities, ballots tabulation equipment and trained staff needed to run a county election system in place of county staff and that the bill's language would represent a significant expansion of state duties. The author and Attorney General's office said they are working with the Secretary of State to address those implementation issues and will craft technical amendments.

Committee members discussed the need to balance clear certification deadlines with practical implementation and oversight. The committee passed the bill as presented at the hearing and re-referred it to the Assembly Public Safety Committee; members and sponsors said they will continue to work with the Secretary of State and counties on workable language for contingency procedures.

The committee recorded the motion to pass; the vote was unanimous among members present.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Elections Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Assembly Elections Committee voted March 26 to advance AB 331, which would clarify counties' duty to certify election results, criminalize distribution of misleading unofficial ballot return envelopes and require jail-acceptable delivery of voter information guides.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622860,"Committee backs bill requiring accessible parking, curbside voting at vote centers",858,2904000,3762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b&start=2904&end=3762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b/thumbnail_2904000.jpg","/articles/6622860/California/Committee-backs-bill-requiring-accessible-parking-curbside-voting-at-vote-centers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622860-95da9d23a72e41de68c31d820ec553c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437720&Signature=XapqQQCnowENU3EICktgo5ghiQW1XXII-2lzRukuU-9WdX4eRq7VEW2duy~K5WRJqRNjpf8voi-O2VXyDHfcCsXYzeGVniR~YWJtCtq0ei~gFp8~EfAwLylPEMCcusRj4WJ3TYc~fEg8F-Y9rOZtA4cc4V-jWrkRSxnys~OHx-GXCMBQ~HqXKUPhv3vAz0ZF3OqJMFqPLw0dqZrEJdLBNpwptUYdEw7sgmCy2KxyJ4GSJynrEW23t5rcXtR2XSx1w1hJGYmPnF~hJTlRNY8g~bcToWw1kljIiM6LIe~JfGUUkuSQ1kFrn7Mvlvkkyne4x38sc0TGkrWopLPAK1uH1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Assembly Elections Committee on March 26 voted to pass AB 287, which would require vote centers and polling places that operate in public buildings to provide accessible parking and designated areas for curbside voting to accommodate voters with disabilities.

AB 287, introduced by Assemblymember Lackey, clarifies that when public buildings (including schools) are used as vote centers election officials may request and be provided adequate space for voting equipment, storage and accessible parking necessary to offer curbside voting. Los Angeles County election officials, who co-sponsored the measure, said many locations lack accessible parking and that curbside voting is not feasible without safe designated curbside parking.

Aaron Navarres, Assistant Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for Los Angeles County, told the committee that roughly one in four vote centers in Los Angeles County lacked a ready place to provide curbside or accessible parking. Eric Harris of Disability Rights California testified the bill closes a gap by ensuring that public facilities must make accessible spaces and curbside areas available when requested, which will help counties meet legal obligations to offer curbside voting.

Representatives from Los Angeles Unified School District registered as a \"tweener\" (neither full support nor opposition) and asked the author to accept amendments to account for older school sites with limited parking and to address reimbursement for costs or staff time for relocating or storing school equipment. The author and sponsors said they will continue to work with school districts to find workable solutions; committee members also encouraged collaboration to identify schools suitable for use as vote centers.

The committee voted to pass AB 287; the motion was seconded and recorded as unanimous among members present. Supporters said the bill is a targeted fix to improve ballot access for voters with disabilities; the committee referred the bill for the next steps in the legislative process.","AB 287 would require public buildings used as vote centers to provide accessible parking and designated curbside voting space; the committee passed the bill unanimously after testimony from Los Angeles County election officials and disability-rights advocates and questions from school districts about implementation costs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622866,"Assembly committee advances bill to modernize behested-payment reporting",493,2385000,2878000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b&start=2385&end=2878","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b/thumbnail_2385000.jpg","/articles/6622866/California/Assembly-committee-advances-bill-to-modernize-behested-payment-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622866-f9ffa0b3c1098add01d949c2d1e67310/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437720&Signature=jbg4lm9Cg~CwH68KNxQinFhNftdrM8a5Bzp99pRKCS2rYBvXMztCeJwq1Gk1rm6tLcEkC3pbpxtFTjHF6fhFMlUY07G9d9d2OramMROkxKHmfZ8mcpD6QIpVGGBWeJRukiZATDbjT0W0uNDfpoH67fJAjiOhp4B3l2XnrVzUyQJF8rWFUjJ0N~F3q4zUKT~udWE0qy1Tm6EgxQEcBzOt6QvXaU8oj0Yi7dV2kWBjEGRp6~NhPkcYlJf-VyOfZeu9HYesQu0aJVSrVo7qL73obcGih~cycqoi5RUmq~vNlM43kO8KVioJ8ZigOCKUZwRnBLoKmzSx-JcEe3j3JS0ZaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Assembly Elections Committee on March 26 voted to pass AB 775, a bill to modernize reporting of behested payments (payments made at the request or on behalf of an official for legislative, governmental or charitable purposes), and re-refer the bill to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

AB 775, authored by Assemblymember Fong, would change the filing deadline for behested-payment reports so that reports are due within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which a payment is received; require filing through the Fair Political Practices Commission's electronic system for state officials and give local elected officials the option to file directly with the FPPC or with their agency only if the agency publicly posts the reports; and establish a $1,000 threshold for reporting additional payments from the same donor after an initial behested-payment report has been filed.

Why it matters: supporters told the committee the changes are intended to streamline filings, make behested-payment information more consistently available online and give officials more time to comply. Adam Silver, chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, testified the commission strongly supports AB 775 and said that requiring online disclosure and uniform quarterly deadlines would make behested payments timely and easy to monitor. Silver also said the bill codifies FPPC regulations requiring disclosure of relevant proceedings and relationships tied to behested payments.

Committee members generally praised the bill's transparency goals and discussed working with the author to make the filing process easier for candidates and local officials. No primary witnesses opposed the bill during the hearing.

The committee approved the bill as amended and ordered it to the appropriations committee. The reported vote was recorded as unanimous among members present.","AB 775 would extend filing deadlines for behested-payment reports, require online filing with the Fair Political Practices Commission and set a lower $1,000 threshold for follow-up payments; the committee voted to pass the bill as amended and re-refer it to appropriations.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622871,"Assembly Elections Committee adopts rules for 2025–26 session",2347,2213000,4560000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b&start=2213&end=4560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2781226-4c96b0d2f65b952d4e52f9f4ce8e480b/thumbnail_2213000.jpg","/articles/6622871/California/Assembly-Elections-Committee-adopts-rules-for-202526-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622871-24cb39183407a4515a3f8484a25a8836/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437720&Signature=GGEPOcgMZ6wU5pDmx~bGLv0NaAslPXsFUEP-bUnP1LKg8rttKaKz8pf5sr6efYtvEAkz0r2O2bbIDvDya3n36RcO~2cLn57fle87IdzCJQVoPD8tP1R-e17Hv-et960B5j2TRjNYI3veqh76cvZf7yI-fl-dW5yCtXqpSM2ypsfvlMTGJ4Y~q-95Q5JFaGzPOwW1syni1-zOKGc58E-As6F~MPFsm6vcre~OrA45QkLkFWostnc5ROVsk4qd1vADq-HIySQ1vY9GvPHa01l4YLHokg85gR3EYDJTzgKXfrS2ZQGckgOjkOY5NI1duwYhkaQdpq~9tdQGgIUFvUgFLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California State Assembly Elections Committee on March 26 adopted its committee rules for the 2025–26 legislative session after a unanimous roll call of members present.

The committee chair, Pellerin, opened the hearing, explained the proposed rules are similar to prior sessions with technical and clarifying changes, and called for a motion. Assemblymember Macedo moved to adopt the rules; the motion was seconded by Assemblymember Tongi. The secretary performed a roll call and members recorded ayes. Committee staff described procedures that will govern witness appearances, time limits and the committee's public testimony portal.

Why it matters: the rules set hearing procedures for the Elections Committee, including time limits for primary witnesses (two minutes) and requirements for secondary witnesses who register (giving name, organization and position). Committee staff said the portal for written testimony is available through the committee website to improve public participation and transparency.

Committee members and staff thanked the committee's consultant and secretary before moving on to the day's bills. The secretary later completed a supplemental roll call as additional members arrived and confirmed the rules had been adopted without opposition.

The committee proceeded to its consent calendar and to the scheduled bills for the hearing.","The California State Assembly Elections Committee voted unanimously to adopt its committee rules for the 2025–26 legislative session after a roll call; the committee also described witness and time limits for the hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances AB 331 to clarify certification duties, curb misleading ballot envelopes and ensure jailed voters receive voter guides

Committee backs bill requiring accessible parking, curbside voting at vote centers

Assembly committee advances bill to modernize behested-payment reporting

Assembly Elections Committee adopts rules for 2025–26 session