SB 259CaliforniaProcess complete

Elections: vote by mail ballots.

What it does

Official summary

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person having charge of a completed vote by mail ballot to interfere with a ballot's return to the local elections official.

More detail

This bill would additionally make it a misdemeanor for any person having charge of a vote by mail ballot to interfere, as defined, with a ballot's delivery to a voter. The bill would make it a felony for a person with authority to direct one or more persons subject to their supervision or authority to interfere with a ballot's return to the local elections official or delivery to a voter. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Where do you stand?

Tell your reps

Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.

More on this bill

Where it stands

IntroducedFeb 3, 2025
Passed SenateMay 28
Passed AssemblyAug 28, 2026
To GovernorAug 30
Became LawSep 19

Looking ahead

No hearings or votes scheduled.

History

2026
1. Sep 19Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 331, Statutes of 2026.Latest
2. Sep 19Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
3. Aug 30Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.To Governor
  - Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB259 Wahab Urgency Clause Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
4. Aug 30Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
5. Aug 30Urgency clause adopted.Major
6. Aug 28In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
  - Vote recorded SB 259 Wahab Third Reading Urgency By Pellerin. Result: pass.Lower
7. Aug 28Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 59. Noes 16. Page 6778.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
8. Aug 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
  - Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
9. Aug 27From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (August 27).Minor
10. Aug 25Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Elections]. Result: pass.Lower
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
11. Aug 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
12. Aug 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.Minor
13. Aug 24Assembly Rule 56 suspended.
14. Aug 24Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
15. Aug 24Re-referred to Coms. on PUB. S., ELECTIONS, and APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.Minor
16. Aug 20Ordered to third reading.Minor
17. Aug 20Read third time and amended.Major
18. Aug 19Ordered to third reading.Minor
19. Aug 19From inactive file.
20. Aug 18Notice of intention to remove from inactive file given by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.
2025
1. Sep 12Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.
2. Sep 9Ordered to third reading.Minor
3. Sep 9Read third time and amended.Major
4. Sep 9Joint Rule 61(a)(13) suspended. (Ayes 60. Noes 20. Page 3128.)
5. Sep 5Ordered to third reading.Minor
6. Sep 5Read third time and amended.Major
7. Jul 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
8. Jul 16From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (July 15).Minor
9. Jul 15
  - Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
10. Jul 10From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
11. Jul 2July 8 hearing postponed by committee.
12. Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
13. Jun 24
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
14. Jun 19From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Major
15. Jun 13From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Major
16. Jun 5Referred to Coms. on P. & C.P. and JUD.Minor
17. May 28In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
  - Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
18. May 28Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 1295.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
19. Apr 24Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.Major
20. Apr 23From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1. Page 833.) (April 22).Major
21. Apr 22
  - Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
22. Apr 8From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
23. Apr 4Set for hearing April 22.
24. Apr 2Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
25. Mar 24From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Major
26. Feb 14Referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
27. Feb 4From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
28. Feb 3Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced

Issue with this bill?

SB 259CaliforniaProcess complete

Elections: vote by mail ballots.

What it does

Official summary

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person having charge of a completed vote by mail ballot to interfere with a ballot's return to the local elections official.

More detail

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Where do you stand?

Tell your reps

Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.

More on this bill

Where it stands

IntroducedFeb 3, 2025
Passed SenateMay 28
Passed AssemblyAug 28, 2026
To GovernorAug 30
Became LawSep 19

Looking ahead

No hearings or votes scheduled.

History

2026
1. Sep 19Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 331, Statutes of 2026.Latest
2. Sep 19Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
3. Aug 30Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.To Governor
  - Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB259 Wahab Urgency Clause Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
4. Aug 30Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
5. Aug 30Urgency clause adopted.Major
6. Aug 28In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
  - Vote recorded SB 259 Wahab Third Reading Urgency By Pellerin. Result: pass.Lower
7. Aug 28Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 59. Noes 16. Page 6778.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
8. Aug 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
  - Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
9. Aug 27From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (August 27).Minor
10. Aug 25Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Elections]. Result: pass.Lower
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
11. Aug 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
12. Aug 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.Minor
13. Aug 24Assembly Rule 56 suspended.
14. Aug 24Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
15. Aug 24Re-referred to Coms. on PUB. S., ELECTIONS, and APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.Minor
16. Aug 20Ordered to third reading.Minor
17. Aug 20Read third time and amended.Major
18. Aug 19Ordered to third reading.Minor
19. Aug 19From inactive file.
20. Aug 18Notice of intention to remove from inactive file given by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.
2025
1. Sep 12Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry.
2. Sep 9Ordered to third reading.Minor
3. Sep 9Read third time and amended.Major
4. Sep 9Joint Rule 61(a)(13) suspended. (Ayes 60. Noes 20. Page 3128.)
5. Sep 5Ordered to third reading.Minor
6. Sep 5Read third time and amended.Major
7. Jul 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
8. Jul 16From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (July 15).Minor
9. Jul 15
  - Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
10. Jul 10From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
11. Jul 2July 8 hearing postponed by committee.
12. Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
13. Jun 24
  - Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
14. Jun 19From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Major
15. Jun 13From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Major
16. Jun 5Referred to Coms. on P. & C.P. and JUD.Minor
17. May 28In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
  - Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
18. May 28Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 1295.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
19. Apr 24Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.Major
20. Apr 23From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1. Page 833.) (April 22).Major
21. Apr 22
  - Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
22. Apr 8From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
23. Apr 4Set for hearing April 22.
24. Apr 2Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
25. Mar 24From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Major
26. Feb 14Referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
27. Feb 4From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 6.
28. Feb 3Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced

Issue with this bill?

What it does

Where do you stand?

Choose your position

Tell your reps

More on this bill

Where it stands

Looking ahead

History

What it does

Where do you stand?

Choose your position

Tell your reps

More on this bill

Where it stands

Looking ahead

History