Elections.

New exemption in Section 18544(b)(5): A person stationed at a polling place with written authorization from the elections official is not subject to criminal penalties if neither the Secretary of State nor Attorney General objected in writing after authorization was granted. If an objection is later made, the person is still protected unless they remain after gaining knowledge of the objection.

New exemptions in Section 18545(b)(2) and (b)(3): A person who hires or arranges for another to be stationed at a polling place pursuant to a court order is exempt from criminal penalties. Similarly, a person who hires with written authorization from the elections official (not objected to by Secretary of State or AG) is exempt, unless they continue to permit the person to remain after learning of an objection.

Section 15553(a) now includes a carve-out stating it shall not be construed to prohibit an individual, under a written agreement between the elections official and a law enforcement agency pursuant to Sections 18544 or 18545, from permitting agents of that agency to provide logistical, transportation, or security support during the voting period, on election day, or during the canvass.

Section 18545(a) changed the authorization requirement from 'written authorization by a federal court order' to 'written authorization by a court order,' broadening which court orders can authorize stationing of persons near polling places or county elections offices.

Section 19230(b) was changed from prohibiting only 'federal government agencies or their employees' from inspecting voting systems without a 'federal court order' to prohibiting any individual from allowing 'an agent of a law enforcement agency' to access, disrupt, modify, or take possession of voting system machines, devices, software, or source code unless authorized by a court order. This broadens the protection from federal-only to all law enforcement.

Section 15104(f) expanded the prohibition on vote by mail voter observers challenging signatures to now also cover signatures on vote by mail ballot return envelopes under subdivision (a) of Section 3019, not just statements under subdivisions (d) and (e).

Additional coauthors added: Senator Wiener and Assembly Members Addis, Bennett, and Jackson joined as coauthors.

Section 15006(b) now requires that Attorney General guidance be 'developed in consultation with the Secretary of State' and changes the purpose language from 'is intended to ensure' to 'aim to ensure' that voting locations remain safe and accessible.

Section 22 of the Elections Code is entirely removed. This section required elections officials to immediately notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General when a court order related to search or seizure of voting systems, software, source code, rosters, voter lists, ballots, or other election materials was being executed.

Section 15104.5 is entirely removed. This section prohibited any individual from permitting an agent of a law enforcement agency acting in their official capacity to serve as a vote by mail voter observer unless authorized by a court order.

Section 15007(e) is removed, which had stated that violations of the peace officer interference prohibitions (establishing voter qualifications contrary to state law, imposing rules contrary to state elections law, or interfering with election administration) were subject to penalties in subdivision (d) of Section 18541. Without this provision, there is no longer a specified criminal penalty for these violations.

Section 15006(a)(2) expands the audience for Attorney General guidance on responding to law enforcement requests from 'building owners and employers' to 'building owners and employers managers of election sites,' broadening who receives official guidance.

Sections 18544 and 18545 are restructured: the authorization requirement language ('without written authorization... unless objected to by the Secretary of State or Attorney General') is removed from the main prohibition text in subdivision (a) and retained only in the exceptions subsections. The practical legal effect remains similar but the drafting structure changes.

Header changed from Senate Bill passage information to 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' with Chapter 10 designation, reflecting the bill's conversion into an official statute.

Governor's approval date (May 27, 2026) and filing date were added to the document header.

Section 15007(a) was consolidated from three separate prohibitions (establishing voter qualifications contrary to state law, imposing rules/standards/practices contrary to state law, and interfering with election administration) into a single general prohibition against interfering with the administration of an election. The specific anti-voter-qualification and anti-rule-imposition language was removed.

Section 18545(a) removed 'military personnel' from the list of persons whose presence near polling places or county elections offices is criminalized when hired or arranged by another person. The enrolled version only covers law enforcement officers, private guards, and security personnel.

Section 15006(a)(2) narrowed the audience for Attorney General guidance on responding to law enforcement requests from 'building owners and employers managers of election sites' to just 'managers of election sites.'

Section 15553(a) broadened the exception allowing law enforcement access to rosters and voter lists from investigating violations of only subdivision (b) of Section 18560 to investigating any violation of Section 18560.

All CEQA provisions were removed, including exemptions for very low vehicle travel areas, state conservancy location changes, infill site size increase from 4 to 5 acres, transit priority project changes, and the requirement to file notices of exemption with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation.

Section 19230(b) was changed from prohibiting only 'federal government agency' inspection of voting systems to prohibiting any 'law enforcement agency' (state, other state, or federal) from accessing, disrupting, modifying, or taking possession of a voting system machine, device, software, or source code unless authorized by a court order.

New Section 22 requires elections officials to immediately notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General when a court order related to search or seizure of voting systems, software, source code, rosters, voter lists, ballots, or other election materials is being executed.

New Section 15006 requires the Attorney General to provide guidance to county elections officials and building owners/employers on how to respond to law enforcement requests to access areas where ballots are cast, handled, processed, counted, tabulated, tallied, audited, or recounted.

Section 15104 was amended to prohibit vote by mail observers from challenging a signature on statements completed pursuant to Section 3019(d) or (e) on the basis that they believe the signature does not compare with the voter's registration record.

Section 15551 was amended to add subdivision (d) stating that in no event shall the package containing voted ballots or its contents be taken from the custody of the elections official.

New Section 15007 prohibits peace officers from establishing voter qualifications contrary to state law, imposing rules contrary to state election law, or interfering with election administration (except for urgent threats to public health and safety). Authorizes the Attorney General, Secretary of State, and county elections officials to bring civil actions. Courts must expedite cases filed 30 days before election day through completion of the canvass.

New Section 15553 prohibits any individual from permitting an agent of a law enforcement agency to access, disrupt, modify, or take possession of rosters, combined rosters, or voter lists unless authorized by a court order or to investigate a violation of Section 18560(b).

Section 18544 was amended to remove the requirement that a peace officer, private guard, or security personnel be in uniform to be subject to the prohibition on being stationed near polling places without authorization. Added authority for the Secretary of State or Attorney General to object to authorization granted by an elections official.

Section 18545 was amended to include military personnel in the prohibition, remove the uniform requirement, expand coverage to county elections offices (not just polling places), and add a federal court order exception. Added definition of 'law enforcement officer' including federal agents.

Section 18564.5 was amended to add a new civil action category for taking a package containing voted ballots or its contents from the custody of the elections official in violation of Section 15551(d).

Section 18568 was amended to add subdivision (i) making it a crime to knowingly take a package containing voted ballots or its contents from the custody of the elections official in violation of Section 15551(d).

New Section 15104.5 prohibits an individual from permitting an agent of a law enforcement agency acting in their official capacity to serve as a vote by mail voter observer unless authorized by a court order.

The state mandates reimbursement section was expanded to explicitly state that no reimbursement is required for costs related to creating new crimes or changing penalties, while still requiring reimbursement for other mandated costs if determined by the Commission on State Mandates.

New Section 1 amends Elections Code Section 19230 to prohibit elections officials from permitting any federal government agency or its employees to inspect voting system machines or devices unless authorized by a federal court order. The term 'federal government agency' is defined to include but not be limited to the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense.

The bill is now declared an urgency statute that takes effect immediately, specifically so it applies to the statewide primary election on June 2, 2026.

The original bill stated no reimbursement was required because local agencies could levy fees. The amended version instead provides that if the Commission on State Mandates determines the act contains state-mandated costs, reimbursement shall be made under Government Code Part 7 (Section 17500 et seq.).

The vote requirement changed from a simple majority to two-thirds.

New severability clause (Section 3) and a constitutional consistency clause (Section 2) requiring the bill to be construed in a manner consistent with both the California and United States Constitutions.