Assembly BillFailedElections
AB 919: Confidentiality of voter information: cognitively impaired individuals.
What AB 919 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill allows an individual with a cognitive impairment to have their voter information kept confidential if they have a power of attorney holder who can apply on their behalf. The power of attorney holder must sign an application stating that the individual with cognitive impairment has a disability. The elections official must exclude the voter's information from any list or roster. The Secretary of State must submit an annual report to the legislature with the total number of applications received for confidential voter status. This bill imposes a state-mandated local program by increasing the duties of county elections officials and expanding the scope of the crime of perjury.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 23, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. |
| Apr. 09, 2025 | Coauthors revised. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 19, 2025 · 864 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 919
| Introduced by Assembly Member Lowenthal |
February 19, 2025 |
An act to add Section 2166.9 to the Elections Code, relating to elections.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 919, as introduced, Lowenthal. Confidentiality of voter information: cognitively impaired individuals.
Existing law permits an individual to seek confidential voter status and have their residence address, telephone number, and email address declared confidential upon presentation of certification that the person is a participant in among other programs, the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking program or the person satisfies other specified requirements.
This bill would authorize an individual who holds power of attorney for an individual with a cognitive impairment to apply for confidential voter status on behalf of the individual with cognitive impairment. The bill would require the application to contain a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that the individual for whom they hold power of attorney has a cognitive impairment. The bill would require the elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index, to exclude the voters with confidential voter status granted under these provisions.
The bill would require the Secretary of State to submit to the Legislature, no later than January 10 of each year, a report that includes the total number of applications received for confidential voter status under these provisions.
By increasing the duties of county elections officials with regard to confidential voter information and by expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 2166.9 is added to the Elections Code, to read:2166.9.
(a) For purposes of this section:(1) “Authorized individual” means a person who holds power of attorney for an individual with a cognitive impairment.
(2) “Cognitive impairment” includes dementia, Alzheimer’s, and any other condition that, in the sole discretion of the Secretary of State, impairs memory or judgment.
(b) A county elections official, upon application of an authorized individual, shall grant confidential voter status to an individual with a cognitive impairment and make confidential their residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit of registration, in accordance with this section.
(c) The application by the authorized individual shall contain a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that the person is an authorized individual as defined in subdivision (a) and that the individual for whom they hold power of attorney has a cognitive impairment. The application shall be a public record.
(d) The elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index, shall exclude voters with confidential voter status granted under this section.
(e) If the individual with a cognitive impairment moves to a new county, the authorized individual may reapply for confidential voter status pursuant to subdivision (b). The elections official of the new county, upon notice of the confidential voter moving into the county, shall do all of the following:
(1) Honor the confidential voter status granted by the former county.
(2) Exclude the confidential voter in any list, roster, or index.
(f) An action in negligence shall not be maintained against any government entity or officer or employee thereof as a result of the disclosure of the information that is the subject of this section except by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness.
(g) The Secretary of State shall submit to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, no later than January 10 of each year, a report that includes the total number of applications received for confidential voter status pursuant to this section. The report shall disclose the number of individuals granted confidential voter status and shall also describe any allegations of misuse of confidential voter information for election purposes.
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other 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.
Text of AB 919 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions