BILL ANALYSIS
AB 814
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 814 (Hill)
As Amended July 1, 2010
Majority vote
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: | |(June 3, 2009) |SENATE: |30-1 |(August 19, |
| | | | | |2010) |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: PUB. S.
SUMMARY : Requires county elections officials to provide all voters
with a notification that the voter should receive a voter
information guide containing detailed information on the candidates
and measures that will be on the ballot for the election.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of the bill, and
instead:
1)Require, for every statewide election, that a notification be
included with each sample ballot stating that the voter will
receive a state ballot pamphlet at least one week prior to the
election.
2)Require this notice to include information as to where a voter can
obtain a ballot pamphlet prior to the election, a statement
indicating that a ballot pamphlet will be made available at the
Secretary of State's Internet Web site, and that the ballot
pamphlet will be available at the polling place at the time of the
election. Require this notice to include the telephone number of
the county elections official that a voter can call to request to
have a ballot pamphlet mailed to him or her.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill established a procedure for a
defendant who owned, possessed, or had custody or control of a
firearm to sell that firearm to a firearms dealer or relinquish the
firearm to a law enforcement agency when the defendant had been
convicted of a specified offense and prohibited from owning a
firearm.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
local county officials have indicated that they will most likely
print the information required in this measure on the sample ballot
booklet without additional costs, and that some counties already
AB 814
Page 2
enclose an insert with their sample ballots and that this required
information would just be added to that insert. Therefore, any costs
associated with AB 814 are expected to be minor to local elections
officials.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "under existing law, the
Secretary of State is required to mail out state ballot pamphlets no
later than 21 days prior to a statewide election. The ballot
pamphlets, also known as Voter Information Guides (VIG), provide the
voter with impartial summaries, arguments for and against, rebuttal
arguments, and other information concerning ballot measures that
helps voters decide how they will vote. Days before the June 8th
primary, our office began receiving calls that voters in San Mateo
County had not received their VIGs. . . .Currently, to enhance
access to the VIG, the Secretary of State makes these guides
available at every polling place, county elections office and public
libraries, as well as on-line. However, given the calls our office
received regarding the issue it is clear that voters don't know how
to access additional VIGs if they don't receive one in the mail.
This bill is an attempt to correct this."
This bill was substantially amended in the Senate and the
Assembly-approved provisions of this bill were deleted. This bill,
as amended in the Senate, is inconsistent with Assembly actions.
Analysis Prepared by : Ethan Jones / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094 FN:
0005546