Bill Text: CA SB632 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: Vehicles: off-highway recreation: Red Rock Canyon State Park.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2024-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 592, Statutes of 2024. [SB632 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB632-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 21, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 632

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Introduced by Senator Caballero

February 16, 2023

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An act amend, repeal, and add Sections 13307.7 and 13311 of, and to add Section 13307.9 to, the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 632, as amended, Caballero. Candidate statements.

Existing law requires a candidate running for elective office in a multicounty district who desires to have a candidate statement printed in a county voter information guide to submit the statement in a manner that complies with both state and local requirements for the county publishing the voter information guide.

This bill would allow a candidate running for elective office in a multicounty district to submit their candidate statement to the Secretary of State for review and approval based on the statement’s conformance with state law, as specified. If the candidate receives approval from the Secretary of State for their candidate statement and submits the statement to the county elections official in the manner specified, the county elections official would be required to accept the statement and would be prohibited from requiring any modification to the approved language. The bill would require a candidate running for elective office in a multicounty district who chooses to use a statement approved by the Secretary of State in one county to use the same statement in any other county where the candidate submits a candidate statement. The bill would also make related conforming changes. By requiring local elections officials to perform additional duties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill’s provisions would become operative on July 1, 2025.

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.

Under existing law, candidates for certain elected offices may prepare and file candidate statements in the office of the county elections official to be included in the county voter information guide sent to each voter by the elections official.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require a county elections official to accept any candidate statement preapproved by the Secretary of State without requiring any additional modification or amendment to the preapproved candidate statement.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 13307.7 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

13307.7.

 (a) If the elections official posts the form to be used by a candidate to submit a candidate statement pursuant to Section 13307, Section 13307.5, or subdivision (c) of Section 85601 of the Government Code, on the elections official’s Internet Web site, the elections official shall accept the electronic submission of that form if it is submitted in accordance with the times and procedures set forth in this code for the preparation of the voter information portion of the county voter information guide. If the candidate is running in a multicounty district, the elections official of each county shall accept the form from the candidate’s county of residence; however, the candidate shall provide a hard copy of the candidate statement form and payment of the requisite fee to each county. The elections official shall not require the candidate to submit any additional forms as a means of correcting Internet Web site posting errors made by the elections official.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), an elections official may require a candidate to provide additional information that the official needs to comply with state law and county voter information guide requirements.

(c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 2.

 Section 13307.7 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

13307.7.

 (a) If the elections official posts the form to be used by a candidate to submit a candidate statement pursuant to Section 13307, Section 13307.5, or subdivision (c) of Section 85601 of the Government Code, on the elections official’s Internet Web site, the elections official shall accept the electronic submission of that form if it is submitted in accordance with the times and procedures set forth in this code for the preparation of the voter information portion of the county voter information guide. If the candidate is running in a multicounty district, the elections official of each county shall accept the form from the candidate’s county of residence or the candidate’s statement text approved by the Secretary of State; however, the candidate shall provide a hard copy of the candidate statement form and payment of the requisite fee to each county. If using a statement approved by the Secretary of State, the candidate shall include an electronic copy of the Secretary of State’s approval with the electronic submission of the candidate’s statement. The elections official shall not require the candidate to submit any additional forms as a means of correcting Internet Web site posting errors made by the elections official.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), unless the candidate’s statement has been approved by the Secretary of State, an elections official may require a candidate to provide additional information that the official needs to comply with state law and county voter information guide requirements.

(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.

SEC. 3.

 Section 13307.9 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

13307.9.

 (a) A candidate running in a multicounty district may submit their candidate statement, as permitted under Section 13307, Section 13307.5, or subdivision (c) of Section 85601 of the Government Code, to the Secretary of State for approval no later than 118 days before the election.

(b) If the candidate running in a multicounty district receives approval from the Secretary of State for their candidate statement prior to the submission deadline of the county elections official as set forth in this chapter and the candidate statement is submitted in accordance with the times and procedures set forth in this chapter for the preparation of the voter information portion of the county voter information guide, the elections official of each county shall accept the candidate statement approved by the Secretary of State and shall not require any modification to the approved language. The candidate shall provide a hard copy of the candidate statement form with a copy of the Secretary of State’s approval and payment of the requisite fee to each county.

(c) The Secretary of State shall review a candidate statement submitted by a candidate running in a multicounty district, if such candidate is permitted to submit a candidate statement for publishing in a county voter information guide pursuant to Section 13307, Section 13307.5, or subdivision (c) of Section 85601 of the Government Code. The Secretary of State shall approve the candidate statement if it conforms with the standards set forth in this chapter and subdivision (c) of Section 85601 of the Government Code, if applicable. The Secretary of State shall notify the candidate in writing of the approval or rejection of the candidate’s statement within ____ days of receipt of the candidate’s statement by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s approval shall be valid for a single election.

(d) This section does not apply to candidate statements prepared pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 13307.

(e) If a candidate running in a multicounty district uses a candidate statement approved by the Secretary of State in accordance with this section, the same statement shall be used in all counties where the candidate submits a statement for inclusion in the county voter information guide.

(f) This section does not apply to a candidate for statewide elective office.

(g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.

SEC. 4.

 Section 13311 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

13311.

 (a) Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), the statements filed pursuant to Section 13307 shall remain confidential until the expiration of the filing deadline.

(b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 5.

 Section 13311 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

13311.

 (a) Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), the statements filed pursuant to Sections 13307 and 13307.9 shall remain confidential until the expiration of the filing deadline.

(b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.

SEC. 6.

 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.

SECTION 1.

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to require a county elections official to accept any candidate statement preapproved by the Secretary of State without requiring any additional modification or amendment to the preapproved candidate statement.