BILL NUMBER: AB 2177	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 23, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 25, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Brown
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Levine, Nazarian, Pan, and Williams)
   (Coauthors: Senators Padilla and Yee)

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2014

   An act to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3300) to Division
3 of the Elections Code, relating to voting.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2177, as amended, Brown. Early voting.
   Existing law establishes procedures for voters to apply for a vote
by mail ballot and use the ballot to vote in an election. Existing
law allows a jurisdiction in which vote by mail ballots are cast to
begin processing vote by mail ballots 29 days before the election.
   This bill would require the Secretary of State to provide guidance
to local elections officials in performing specified tasks for the
purpose of promoting and expanding the practice of early voting, as
defined, consistent with specified statutory authority. The bill
would define "early voting" to mean voting a vote by mail ballot in
person at the office of the elections official or another location
designated by the elections official either before or on the day of
the election.
    The bill would  require   allow county
elections officials to apply for funding to provide early voting. If
a county obtains funding sufficient to satisfy all associated costs,
the bill would require  an elections official, on at least one
Saturday and Sunday on or after the date the elections official first
delivers ballots to vote by mail voters for a statewide election, or
for any other election as determined by the elections official based
on voter demand, to allow voters to vote in the election by means of
early voting at the early voting location designated for this
purpose, provided that the location is accessible and complies with
disability access requirements under federal and state law. The bill
would permit the elections official to determine the hours of
operation for the designated early voting location or locations for
each Saturday and Sunday on which early voting is offered, provided
that each location shall be open to voters for a minimum of 6 hours
on each designated Saturday and Sunday. These provisions regarding
Saturday and Sunday voting would not apply to elections conducted
wholly by mail or to precincts in which each voter is furnished with
a vote by mail ballot, as specified. 
   By requiring local elections officials to perform additional
duties, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions. 
    This bill would become operative on January 1, 2016.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  yes   no  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act to make voting more convenient and accessible in order to
increase voter turnout at elections.
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3300) is added to
Division 3 of the Elections Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 4.  EARLY VOTING


   3300.  For purposes of this chapter, "early voting" means voting a
vote by mail ballot in person at the office of the elections
official or another location designated by the elections official
either before or on the day of the election.
   3301.  For purposes of promoting and expanding the practice of
early voting consistent with the authority granted by this division,
the Secretary of State shall provide guidance to local elections
officials in accomplishing all of the following:
   (a) Establishing one or more locations for early voting, which may
include the office of the local elections official.
   (b) Notifying voters of the early voting location or locations.
   (c) Ensuring that the early voting location or locations and the
procedures used therein comply with disability access requirements
under federal and state law.
   3302.  (a)  On   Each county elections
official may apply to the Secretary of State for funding from the
federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15301 et seq.)
to provide early voting pursuant to this chapter. If a county obtains
funding sufficient to satisfy all associated costs, the elections
official shall provide early votin   g pursuant to
subdivision (b). If a county does not obtain funding sufficient to
satisfy all associated costs, the elections official may, but is not
required to, provide early voting pursuant to subdivision (b). 
    (b)     If early voting is provided
pursuant to subdivision (a), on  at least one Saturday and
Sunday on or after the date an elections official first delivers
ballots to vote by mail voters for a statewide election, or for any
other election as determined by the elections official based on voter
demand, the elections official shall allow voters to vote in the
election by means of early voting at an early voting location
designated for this purpose, provided that the location is accessible
and complies with disability access requirements under federal and
state law. The elections official may determine the hours of
operation for the designated early voting location or locations for
each Saturday and Sunday on which early voting is offered pursuant to
this section, provided that each location shall be open to voters
for a minimum of six hours on each designated Saturday and Sunday.

   (b) 
    (c)  Subdivision  (a)   (b) 
does not apply to elections conducted wholly by mail or to a precinct
in which each voter is furnished a vote by mail ballot pursuant to
Section 3005. 
  SEC. 3.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. 
   SEC. 4.  SEC. 3.   This act shall become
operative on January 1, 2016.