Assembly Elections Committee advances SB 73 to Public Safety Committee after 6–1 vote

The California State Assembly Elections Committee on May 6 advanced SB 73, a measure the author said is designed to protect ballot chain of custody and guard voting locations against what supporters described as coordinated threats to election administration.

Senator Cervantes, the bill's sponsor, accepted committee amendments and told the panel the measure would extend existing protections in state law by making it a felony to remove ballots from a county registrar's custody after certification and by extending some criminal penalties to additional categories of personnel. ‘‘SB 73 would extend the criminal penalty from SB 851 . . . to military personnel,’’ the author said, and would ‘‘make it a felony to violate existing state law and take those ballots from the custody of a county registrar.’’

Supporters said the bill is a timely response to recent incidents that, they said, threatened the integrity of local elections. ‘‘We are a statewide network . . . that are focused on expanding democracy,’’ said Sydney Fong, policy director at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment (AAPI FORCE), who urged a yes vote and said many Californians fear interference in elections. Monica Madrid of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights said the measure closes a loophole by clarifying that prohibitions on armed officials at polling places extend to non-uniformed armed personnel.

Opponents warned the bill could impede lawful federal investigation and oversight. Colleen Britton of California Action for Legislative Accountability (CALA) said federal agencies ‘‘have every right and duty to inspect voting systems used in federal elections’’ and urged the committee to reject SB 73, arguing the bill risks blocking necessary inspections and accountability.

Committee staff explained how a key committee amendment would change signature-challenge rules. Ethan, a committee staff member, said the revision would extend a prohibition on vote-by-mail observer challenges beyond ‘‘signature cure’’ forms to also apply to comparisons of signatures on vote-by-mail envelopes and voter registration records, creating a statewide uniform policy where counties currently vary.

Members pressed both sides for concrete examples of federal or immigration-enforcement presence at polling places. The author and witnesses cited past local and national incidents and statements they said showed a pattern of threats; some members expressed skepticism about the frequency of such deployments in California.

After discussion, Assemblymember Addis moved and another member seconded to pass and re-refer SB 73 to the Public Safety Committee. The clerk recorded a 6–1 vote: yes — Pellerin, Bennett, Addis, El Hawari, Salace and Stephanie; no — Gallagher; Johnson absent. The committee kept the record open briefly for the absent member before adjourning.

The committee accepted the author's amendments and forwarded the bill to the Public Safety Committee; the next hearing date and any further amendments will be set by that committee.