Bill Text: CA AB299 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 299 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Vote by mail ballot tracking.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-09-05 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 224, Statutes of 2019. [AB299 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB299-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 14, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 299

Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

January 28, 2019

An act to amend Section 3019.5 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 299, as amended, Salas. Vote by mail ballot tracking.

Existing law requires that the vote by mail ballot be made available to any registered voter. Existing law requires a county elections official to establish a free access system that allows a vote by mail voter to learn if the voter’s vote by mail ballot was counted and, if not, the reason why the ballot was not counted.

This bill would require a county elections official, when the elections official updates ~~a system~~ the county’s election management system or voter look-up tool on the county’s internet website with new voter information, to provide the updated information to the Secretary of State to update the information the Secretary of State provides to the public. By imposing new duties on local elections officials, 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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 3019.5 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

3019.5.

(a) A county elections official shall establish a free access system that allows a vote by mail voter to learn if the voter’s vote by mail ballot was counted and, if not, the reason why the ballot was not counted. For each election, the elections official shall make the free access system available to a vote by mail voter upon completion of the official canvass and for 30 days after completion of the official canvas.

(b) For purposes of establishing the free access system for vote by mail ballots required by subdivision (a), a county elections official may use the free access system for provisional ballots established by the county pursuant to Section 302 of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 21082).

(c) If a county elections official elects not to mail a county voter information guide to a voter pursuant to Section 13305, the elections official shall use any savings achieved to offset the costs associated with establishing the free access system for vote by mail ballots required by subdivision (a).

(d) When a county elections official updates ~~a system~~ the county’s election management system or voter look-up tool on the county’s internet website with new voter information, the elections official shall provide the updated information to the Secretary of State to update the information that the Secretary of State provides to the public.

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.