Bill Text: CA AB973 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 973 (Prior Session Legislation)

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

Bill Title: Remote accessible vote by mail system.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2018-01-12 - Stricken from file. [AB973 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB973-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 973

Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 16, 2017

An act to add Sections 3016.5 and 3116.5 to the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 973, as introduced, Low. Remote accessible vote by mail system.

Existing law permits a person, corporation, or public agency to apply to the Secretary of State for certification or conditional approval of a remote accessible vote by mail system. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to examine and certify remote accessible vote by mail systems, as specified.

Existing law permits any voter, including a voter with a disability or a military or overseas voter, to apply for and receive a vote by mail ballot from his or her county elections official.

This bill would require a county elections official to permit a voter with a disability, or a military or overseas voter, to cast his or her ballot using a certified remote accessible vote by mail system. This requirement would become operative one year after the date on which the Secretary of State certifies a remote accessible vote by mail system.

By imposing additional duties on local elections officials, this 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 3016.5 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

3016.5.

A county elections official shall permit a voter with a disability to cast his or her ballot using a certified remote accessible vote by mail system.

SEC. 2.

Section 3116.5 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

3116.5.

A county elections official shall permit a military or overseas voter to cast his or her ballot using a certified remote accessible vote by mail system.

SEC. 3.

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.

SEC. 4.

This act shall become operative one year after the date on which the Secretary of State certifies a remote accessible vote by mail system pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 19280) of Division 19 of the Elections Code.