Elections: voting by mail.

Repeals Section 3000.5 of the Elections Code, which required county elections officials to mail a ballot to every registered voter for all elections. Under the amended bill, voters must now affirmatively request a vote by mail ballot rather than receiving one automatically.

Repeals Section 4005 of the Elections Code, which authorized any county to conduct an all-mailed ballot election with vote centers, ballot drop-off locations, and related infrastructure. This eliminates the legal basis for vote centers in California.

Repeals Section 3016.7, which allowed any voter (not just those with disabilities or military/overseas voters) to use a certified remote accessible vote by mail system. This narrows remote voting access back to specific groups.

Adds new Chapter 3 (Sections 3200-3206) to Division 3 of the Elections Code establishing a permanent vote by mail voter status. Any voter may apply, and if approved, will automatically receive a mail ballot for every election in their precinct. Voters are removed from the list if they fail to return ballots in four consecutive statewide general elections.

Amends Section 2170 to expand conditional voter registration and voting, allowing eligible electors to register and cast a ballot during the 14 days before an election or on election day at all permanent offices, satellite offices, and polling places. Adds procedures for issuing nonprovisional ballots when the statewide voter registration database can verify eligibility in real time.

Amends Section 3001 to require voters to apply for a vote by mail ballot in writing between the 29th and 7th day prior to an election, replacing the previous automatic mailing. The county must mail ballots within five days of receiving the application.

Amends Section 3017 to require that vote by mail ballots be received (not merely postmarked) before the close of polls on election day. Also adds restrictions on compensation for persons designated to return ballots and criminal penalties for tampering with or failing to deliver ballots.

Repeals Sections 3025.5 and 3025.7, which set minimum numbers of ballot drop-off locations (at least two or one per 30,000 registered voters) and required additional drop-off locations at California State University and University of California campuses for statewide elections.

Repeals Section 357.5 of the Elections Code, which defined 'vote center' as a location established for holding elections offering specific services. This definition is removed because vote centers are being eliminated.

The bill now requires fiscal committee approval and creates a state-mandated local program requiring reimbursement to local agencies, whereas the original version had no fiscal impact and no state-mandated local program.