Senate BillPassed first houseElections
SB 970: Military or overseas voters.
What SB 970 does, verified September 7, 2026
This bill aims to improve the voting process for military and overseas voters. It requires the Secretary of State to establish regulations that facilitate the secure return of ballots delivered electronically. The goal is to enhance the voting experience for these voters and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Garcia. (2026-08-31)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions24 total · showing 5
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Garcia. |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13). |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | Assembly Rule 63 suspended. |
| Aug. 05, 2026 | August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. |
Latest bill textAmended version, May 21, 2026 · 416 words
| Amended IN Senate May 21, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 970
| Introduced by Senator Cervantes |
February 03, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 3101 of the Elections Code, relating to voting.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 970, as amended, Cervantes. Military or overseas voters.
Existing law regulates the voting procedures for military or overseas voters to register to vote, to apply for voting ballots, and to vote. Existing law requires, among other things, unvoted voting materials to be electronically transmitted to a military or overseas voter.
This bill would require the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations to facilitate the secure return of ballots from military or overseas voters delivered through secure electronic transmission methods.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 3101 of the Elections Code is amended to read:3101.
(a) The Secretary of State shall see that this chapter is enforced pursuant to Section 12172.5 of the Government Code.(b) The Secretary of State shall make available to any person who qualifies as a military or overseas voter information regarding voter registration procedures for military or overseas voters and procedures for casting ballots by military or overseas voters.
(c) The Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations to facilitate the secure return of ballots from military or overseas voters delivered through secure electronic transmission methods.
(d) The elections official for each district shall ensure that their jurisdiction has available a system that would allow a military or overseas voter to electronically request a ballot and other information pursuant to this chapter.
(e) The Secretary of State shall develop standardized military or overseas voter voting materials as required by this chapter.
(f) The Secretary of State shall prescribe the form and content of a declaration for use by a military or overseas voter to swear or affirm specific representations pertaining to the voter’s identity, eligibility to vote, and status as a military or overseas voter, and shall further prescribe requirements for the timely and proper completion of a military or overseas voter’s ballot. The declaration shall be based on the declaration prescribed to accompany a federal write-in absentee ballot, as modified to be consistent with this chapter. The elections official for each jurisdiction shall ensure that a form for the execution of the declaration, including an indication of the date of execution of the declaration, is a prominent part of all balloting materials for which the declaration is required.
Text of SB 970 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions