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<ns0:Id>20250AB__260499INT</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-20</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>2604</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>INT</ns0:MeasureState>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Berman</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Berman</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Section 3019.2 to the Elections Code, relating to elections. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>elections</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Elections: ballot curing.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with either the signature appearing on the voter’s affidavit or signature appearing on a form that is part of the voter’s registration record. Existing law requires an elections official, if it is determined that the signatures do not compare, to notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter’s signature. Under existing law, if an elections official has a telephone number or email address on file for a voter whose signature does not compare, the elections official is required to notify the voter by telephone, text message, or email, as specified. Existing law requires a county elections official to establish a free access system that allows a vote by mail voter to learn if the voter’s vote by mail ballot was counted, as specified. Existing law
requires the Secretary of State to maintain a system to allow a vote by mail voter to track the voter’s vote by mail ballot through the mail system, as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require the Secretary of State to either implement a system that allows voters to access text-message-based ballot curing, as defined, or make available to county registrars the resources necessary to implement such a system, as specified.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_2B6173A7-C7C7-4C97-AA64-C3DF48F593DE">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 3019.2 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Elections Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_3A63429C-BE61-4A15-9B99-715046B7C4E1">
<ns0:Num>3019.2.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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The Secretary of State shall do either of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Implement a system that allows voters to access text-message-based ballot curing.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Make available to county registrars the resources necessary to implement a system that allows voters to access text-message-based ballot curing.
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<html:p>
(b)
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For purposes of this section, “ballot curing” means following the procedures described in subdivision (d) of Section 3019.
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<html:p>
(c)
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Any service provided pursuant to subdivision (a), whether provided by the Secretary or by counties, shall ensure data privacy and
ballot security for voters.
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<html:p>
(d)
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The Secretary of State shall make available on its internet website data relating to this program, including: the number of voters who cured ballots using text-message-based ballot curing, the number of voters to whom text-message-based ballot curing was offered, the number of voters who cured their ballot by other means, the number of voters who did not cure their ballots, and the median time between notification and curing for both text-message-based and traditional ballot curing.
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(e)
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The Secretary of State may combine the system described in this section with the systems described in Sections 3019.5 and 3019.7.
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