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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Senate Bill

SB 259: Elections: vote by mail ballots.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

SB 259 is a senate bill introduced in the California Senate on February 3, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Elections: vote by mail ballots. Primary sponsor: Aisha Wahab (D). Most recent recorded action (September 19, 2026): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 331, Statutes of 2026.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person having charge of a completed vote by mail ballot to interfere with a ballot’s return to the local elections official.

This bill would additionally make it a misdemeanor for any person having charge of a vote by mail ballot to interfere, as defined, with a ballot’s delivery to a voter. The bill would make it a felony for a person with authority to direct one or more persons subject to their supervision or authority to interfere with a ballot’s return to the local elections official or delivery to a voter. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Aisha WahabPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate10

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 331, Statutes of 2026.
  2. Approved by the Governor.
  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
  4. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
  5. Urgency clause adopted.
  6. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
  7. Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 59. Noes 16. Page 6778.) Ordered to the Senate.
  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  9. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (August 27).
  10. Joint Rule 62(a) suspended.
  11. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  12. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (August 25). Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page