California 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

California Assembly Bill AB1688 Amended / Bill

Filed 03/16/2023

                    Amended IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1688Introduced by Assembly Member SanchezFebruary 17, 2023An act to amend Section 2157 2206 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1688, as amended, Sanchez. Voter registration. Voter registration: cancellation: deceased persons. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services for use by the Secretary of State and county elections officials to cancel affidavits of registration of deceased persons.This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration for the same purpose.Existing law requires a voters paper affidavit of registration to comply with requirements prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State, such as the requirement that the affidavit allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of the county, that it contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number for reporting misuse of registration information, and that it be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with prepaid postage.This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this provision.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: NOYES  Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 2206 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.SECTION 1.Section 2157 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2157.(a)Subject to this chapter, the paper affidavit of registration shall be in a form prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. The affidavit shall comply with all of the following:(1)Contain the information prescribed in Section 2150.(2)Contain, near the signature line of the affiant, a statement that the county elections official shall compare the affiants signature appearing on an identification envelope for the return of a vote by mail ballot cast in a future election with the signatures appearing in the voters registration record, including the signature appearing on the affidavit of registration.(3)Allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of that county, including, but not limited to, the return address of the elections official in that county and a telephone number at which a voter can obtain elections information in that county.(4)Be included on one portion of a multipart card, to be known as a voter registration card, the other portions of which shall include information sufficient to facilitate completion and mailing of the affidavit. The affidavit portion of the multipart card shall be numbered according to regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. For purposes of facilitating the distribution of voter registration cards as provided in Section 2158, there shall be attached to the affidavit portion a receipt. The receipt shall be separated from the body of the affidavit by a perforated line.(5)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement identical or substantially similar to the following:Certain voters facing life-threatening situations may qualify for confidential voter status. For more information, please contact the Secretary of States Safe At Home program or visit the Secretary of States website.(6)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement that the use of voter registration information for commercial purposes is a misdemeanor pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2194 and Section 18109, and any suspected misuse shall be reported to the Secretary of State.(7)Contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number maintained by the Secretary of State that the public may use to report suspected fraudulent activity concerning misuse of voter registration information.(8)Be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with postage prepaid by the Secretary of State.(b)Nothing contained in this division shall prevent the use of voter registration cards and affidavits of registration in existence on the effective date of this section and produced pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of State, and all references to voter registration cards and affidavits in this division shall be applied to the existing voter registration cards and affidavits of registration.(c)The Secretary of State may continue to supply existing affidavits of registration prior to printing new or revised forms that reflect the changes required pursuant to this section or Section 2150.(d)An affidavit of registration shall not be submitted electronically on a countys internet website. However, a county may provide a hyperlink on the countys internet website to the Secretary of States electronic voter registration system.

 Amended IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1688Introduced by Assembly Member SanchezFebruary 17, 2023An act to amend Section 2157 2206 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1688, as amended, Sanchez. Voter registration. Voter registration: cancellation: deceased persons. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services for use by the Secretary of State and county elections officials to cancel affidavits of registration of deceased persons.This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration for the same purpose.Existing law requires a voters paper affidavit of registration to comply with requirements prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State, such as the requirement that the affidavit allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of the county, that it contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number for reporting misuse of registration information, and that it be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with prepaid postage.This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this provision.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: NOYES  Local Program: NO 

 Amended IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023

Amended IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill 

No. 1688

Introduced by Assembly Member SanchezFebruary 17, 2023

Introduced by Assembly Member Sanchez
February 17, 2023

An act to amend Section 2157 2206 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1688, as amended, Sanchez. Voter registration. Voter registration: cancellation: deceased persons.

 Existing law requires the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services for use by the Secretary of State and county elections officials to cancel affidavits of registration of deceased persons.This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration for the same purpose.Existing law requires a voters paper affidavit of registration to comply with requirements prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State, such as the requirement that the affidavit allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of the county, that it contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number for reporting misuse of registration information, and that it be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with prepaid postage.This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this provision.

 Existing law requires the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services for use by the Secretary of State and county elections officials to cancel affidavits of registration of deceased persons.

This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration for the same purpose.

Existing law requires a voters paper affidavit of registration to comply with requirements prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State, such as the requirement that the affidavit allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of the county, that it contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number for reporting misuse of registration information, and that it be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with prepaid postage.



This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this provision.



## Digest Key

## Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 2206 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.SECTION 1.Section 2157 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2157.(a)Subject to this chapter, the paper affidavit of registration shall be in a form prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. The affidavit shall comply with all of the following:(1)Contain the information prescribed in Section 2150.(2)Contain, near the signature line of the affiant, a statement that the county elections official shall compare the affiants signature appearing on an identification envelope for the return of a vote by mail ballot cast in a future election with the signatures appearing in the voters registration record, including the signature appearing on the affidavit of registration.(3)Allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of that county, including, but not limited to, the return address of the elections official in that county and a telephone number at which a voter can obtain elections information in that county.(4)Be included on one portion of a multipart card, to be known as a voter registration card, the other portions of which shall include information sufficient to facilitate completion and mailing of the affidavit. The affidavit portion of the multipart card shall be numbered according to regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. For purposes of facilitating the distribution of voter registration cards as provided in Section 2158, there shall be attached to the affidavit portion a receipt. The receipt shall be separated from the body of the affidavit by a perforated line.(5)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement identical or substantially similar to the following:Certain voters facing life-threatening situations may qualify for confidential voter status. For more information, please contact the Secretary of States Safe At Home program or visit the Secretary of States website.(6)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement that the use of voter registration information for commercial purposes is a misdemeanor pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2194 and Section 18109, and any suspected misuse shall be reported to the Secretary of State.(7)Contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number maintained by the Secretary of State that the public may use to report suspected fraudulent activity concerning misuse of voter registration information.(8)Be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with postage prepaid by the Secretary of State.(b)Nothing contained in this division shall prevent the use of voter registration cards and affidavits of registration in existence on the effective date of this section and produced pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of State, and all references to voter registration cards and affidavits in this division shall be applied to the existing voter registration cards and affidavits of registration.(c)The Secretary of State may continue to supply existing affidavits of registration prior to printing new or revised forms that reflect the changes required pursuant to this section or Section 2150.(d)An affidavit of registration shall not be submitted electronically on a countys internet website. However, a county may provide a hyperlink on the countys internet website to the Secretary of States electronic voter registration system.

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

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

SECTION 1. Section 2206 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.

SECTION 1. Section 2206 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

### SECTION 1.

2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.

2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.

2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.



2206. The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. Services and from the federal Social Security Administration. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.





(a)Subject to this chapter, the paper affidavit of registration shall be in a form prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. The affidavit shall comply with all of the following:



(1)Contain the information prescribed in Section 2150.



(2)Contain, near the signature line of the affiant, a statement that the county elections official shall compare the affiants signature appearing on an identification envelope for the return of a vote by mail ballot cast in a future election with the signatures appearing in the voters registration record, including the signature appearing on the affidavit of registration.



(3)Allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of that county, including, but not limited to, the return address of the elections official in that county and a telephone number at which a voter can obtain elections information in that county.



(4)Be included on one portion of a multipart card, to be known as a voter registration card, the other portions of which shall include information sufficient to facilitate completion and mailing of the affidavit. The affidavit portion of the multipart card shall be numbered according to regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. For purposes of facilitating the distribution of voter registration cards as provided in Section 2158, there shall be attached to the affidavit portion a receipt. The receipt shall be separated from the body of the affidavit by a perforated line.



(5)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement identical or substantially similar to the following:



Certain voters facing life-threatening situations may qualify for confidential voter status. For more information, please contact the Secretary of States Safe At Home program or visit the Secretary of States website.



(6)Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement that the use of voter registration information for commercial purposes is a misdemeanor pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2194 and Section 18109, and any suspected misuse shall be reported to the Secretary of State.



(7)Contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number maintained by the Secretary of State that the public may use to report suspected fraudulent activity concerning misuse of voter registration information.



(8)Be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with postage prepaid by the Secretary of State.



(b)Nothing contained in this division shall prevent the use of voter registration cards and affidavits of registration in existence on the effective date of this section and produced pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of State, and all references to voter registration cards and affidavits in this division shall be applied to the existing voter registration cards and affidavits of registration.



(c)The Secretary of State may continue to supply existing affidavits of registration prior to printing new or revised forms that reflect the changes required pursuant to this section or Section 2150.



(d)An affidavit of registration shall not be submitted electronically on a countys internet website. However, a county may provide a hyperlink on the countys internet website to the Secretary of States electronic voter registration system.