Assembly Standing Committee on Elections

Good afternoon. Is everything right? What am I doing wrong? Okay. I know. Okay. I'm out of practice. Sorry. All right, so, good afternoon. I'd like to call the August 29, 2024 hearing a of the Assembly Elections Committee to order. Before we proceed, let's call the roll and establish a quorum.

[Roll Call] We have a quorum.

We have a quorum. Great. So for the purpose of this hearing, we are accepting. First of all, welcome everyone to the hearing today and anyone who's watching online. For the purpose of this hearing, we're accepting witness testimony in person and also accepting written testimony through the Legislature's position letter portal.

That portal can be accessed through the committee's website at AELC.assembly.ca.gov. The committee has two bills on its agenda. Nothing is on consent. Both of these bills that are on the agenda are bills that are backed from the Senate for the purpose of considering concurrence in Senate amendments.

That being the case, amendments are not in order for the bills on the agenda for today's hearing. When we hear the bills on the agenda, we will hear from a maximum of two primary witnesses in support and two primary witnesses in opposition of the bill, with a limit of two minutes per witness.

Other witnesses are limited to providing their name, their organization that we represent, if any, and their position on the bill. Additional comments will be ruled out of order. In order to facilitate the committee's business and public participation in today's hearing, we will not tolerate conduct that disrupts the orderly conduct of the committee's proceedings.

Violations of these rules may subject you to removal or other enforcement actions. Before we move on to the agenda, I have a couple of additional announcements to make. Assemblymember Cervantes is absent today due to illness.

So I have a letter from Speaker Rivas appointing Assemblymember Dawn Addis to replace Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes on the committee for the purpose of today's hearing only. Assemblymember Addis, wherever you are in the building, please come to room 444 and we will. Thank you for joining us.

Additionally, I have a letter from Assemblymember Cervantes requesting that Assemblymember Berman be permitted to present AB 25, I'm sorry 2951 on her behalf. So assemblymember Berman will be presenting both of our bills that are on the Committee's agenda today. With those announcements out of the way, we will now move on to the Committee's agenda.

Bermin, it's your show. You may take it away.

Got a little ahead of myself. Thank you, Madam Chair. Is there a particular bill you want me to start with? Madam Chair? I'm sorry?

Whichever bill you'd like to begin with.

All right, why don't we start? I'll go in -

Dealer's choice.

- numerical order, and start with 2951 by Assemblymember Cervantes. I'm pleased to present AB 2951 on behalf of Assemblymember Cervantes.

AB 2951 would delay a provision of Assemblymember Low's bill, AB 2841 from 2022, which established a new procedure for handling the cancellation of voter registration due to several situations, including the death of a voter, a change in their residency, or imprisonment due to a felony conviction.

Unfortunately, due to delays in the upgrading of VoteCal, California's statewide database of registered voters, the Secretary of State's office has been unable to comply with the provisions regarding voters whose registration is canceled due to death or a change of address.

AB 2951 would simply extend the deadline to comply with that provision until July 1, 2025 thereby providing time for upgrades to VoteCal, respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 2951. And with me to testify in support is Tim Cromarty, representing Secretary of State Weber.

Madam Chair and members, Tim Cromartie on behalf of Secretary of State Shirley Weber, pleased to continue to sponsor this measure. We are fully in support of the Assembly amendments, and we ask for your aye vote. Happy to take any questions.

Thank you very much. Is there anyone in the room who is in opposition to this bill? Any witnesses wanting to come to the mic and give a me too? Seeing none, we'll bring it back to the committee members. Are there any comments or questions? Seeing none, we'll go ahead and would you like to close on the bill?

Respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you very much.

All right. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second. Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is from Committee with recommendation that the Senate amendments be concurred in. [Roll Call]

That bill is out seven to zero. You may now move on to your next bill, which is assembly bill 3184.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Excuse me. Thank you, Madam Chair. Currently, if there is a mismatching or missing signature on a vote by mail ballot envelope, our election officials notify the voter of the problem, how to correct it, and that the voter has until 5:00 PM two days prior to the certification of the election.

However, the date a county certifies an election is not fixed, so a voter may try to correct the deficiency only to find out that they're too late. As amended in the Senate, AB 3184 would specify that for the November 2024 election, counties cannot certify the results until the 28th day after the election, thereby allowing voters until the 26th day to fix signature issues.

This maximizes the time for voters to cure a missing or mismatching signature and provides a date certain so that everyone is operating on a level playing field. The bill retains its previous content on ballot rejection reports and also includes several largely technical changes to also improve the ballot cure process. Respectfully ask for an aye vote. And with me once again is Tim Cromartie from the Secretary of State's Office to in support of the bill.

Madam Chair and Members, Tim Cromartie, Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber. We, again, are fully in support of the Assembly amendments. This bill is a necessary step to achieve greater commonality in how and when the counties report their data. We respectfully ask for your support.

Wonderful. Are there any other witnesses in the room in opposition to this bill? Seeing none. Anyone want to come to the mic and give a me too in support or opposition? Seeing none. We'll bring it back to the Committee. Any questions or comments? I have a motion. Do I have a second? We have a second. Assembly Member Berman, you may close.

Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Very good. So you know, I think this bill, we all share a desire to ensure that voters have ample opportunities to address any issues with their ballots that would prevent those ballots from being counted. Thank you for bringing this bill forward. I'm recommending support, and we have a motion and a second. Our Secretary will call the roll.

The motion is from Committee with recommendation that the Senate amendments be concurred in. [Roll Call]

That Bill is out seven to zero. We have absent members. Do I wait for them or do? We got absent members, we'll wait for to let them add on to the role, but thank you, Assemblymember Berman. Good job. There we go.

Okay. All right, we have our absent member here, so the secretary will open the roll and welcome.

Hi. On Assembly Bill 2951 Cervantes [Roll Call] And on AB 3184, Berman [Roll Call] Thank you.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Assemblymember Addis. And thank you all. That concludes our items on the committee's agenda. We stand adjourned.