California Senate Bill SB240 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 240AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 6, 2014 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Yee (Principal coauthor: Senator Anderson) (Coauthor: Senator Lieu) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Gray and Pan) FEBRUARY 12, 2013 An act to add Section  12289   3025  to the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 240, as amended, Yee.  Polling places   Vote by mail ballot drop boxes  : higher education campuses.  (1) Existing law requires elections officials to establish a convenient number of election precincts and designate a polling place for each precinct. Under existing law, the local elections official may request the use of school buildings as polling places.   (1) Existing law sets forth procedures for processing vote by mail ballots and requires that all vote by mail ballots cast be received by the elections official or by the precinct board no later than the close of polls on election day.  This bill would, for statewide general and primary elections conducted by a county or city and county, require the county or city and county elections official to establish  polling places   vote by mail ballot drop boxes, as defined,  within each campus of the California State University and the University of California, and would require the elections official to establish  polling places   vote by mail ballot drop boxes  within each community college if convenient for voters. The bill would not apply to counties or  city   cities  and counties that have a population of fewer than 150,000 people. The bill would require the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to provide access for the use of their campuses as  polling places   vote by mail ballot drop box sites  .  The bill would require the Secretary of State to assist elections officials by providing recommendations and guidelines regarding the placement and security of vote by mail ballot drop boxes.  By requiring county and city and county elections officials to perform new duties, and the California Community Colleges to provide access as  polling places   vote by mail ballot drop box sites  , the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 12289 is added to the Elections Code, to read: 12289. (a) For each statewide general election and each statewide primary election conducted by a county or a city and county, the county or city and county elections official shall do both of the following: (1) Establish at least one polling place within each campus of the California State University and the University of California within the jurisdiction of the county or city and county. (2) Consider establishing at least one polling place within each community college within the jurisdiction of the county or city and county, and establish that polling place if the elections official determines a polling place at the college would be convenient for voters. (b) This section does not apply to a county or city and county that has a population of fewer than 150,000 people. (c) The California State University and the California Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is requested to, provide access for use of their campuses as polling places. This section does not apply to a campus of the University of California if the campus refuses a request for access to the campus as a polling place.   SECTION 1.   Section 3025 is added to the   Elections Code   , to read:   3025. (a) For purposes of this section, "vote by mail ballot drop box" means a secure receptacle established by a county or city and county elections official whereby a voted vote by mail ballot may be returned to the elections official from whom it was obtained. (b) For each statewide general election and each statewide primary election conducted by a county or a city and county, the county or city and county elections official shall do both of the following: (1) Establish at least one vote by mail ballot drop box within each campus of the California State University and the University of California within the jurisdiction of the county or city and county. (2) Consider establishing at least one vote by mail ballot drop box within each community college within the jurisdiction of the county or city and county, and establish that vote by mail ballot drop box if the elections official determines that a vote by mail ballot drop box at the college would be convenient for voters. (c) This section does not apply to a county or city and county that has a population of fewer than 150,000 people. (d) The California State University and the California Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is requested to, provide access for use of their campuses as a vote by mail ballot drop box site. This section does not apply to a campus of the University of California if the campus refuses a request for access to the campus as a vote by mail ballot drop box site. (e) The Secretary of State shall assist elections officials by providing recommendations and guidelines regarding the placement and security of vote by mail ballot drop boxes.  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.