AB-686 • 2026

Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.

Elections Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Berman
Last action: 2026-06-11
Official status: Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(c).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.

AB 686, as amended, Berman.

What This Bill Does

AB 686, as amended, Berman.
Cannabis: appointees: prohibited activities.
Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.
Existing law, until January 1, 2027, prohibits a person, committee, or other entity, within 60 days of an election at which a candidate for elective office will appear on the ballot, from distributing with actual malice materially deceptive audio or visual media of the candidate with the intent to injure the candidate’s reputation or to deceive a voter into voting for or against the candidate, unless the media includes a disclosure stating that the media has been manipulated, subject to specified exemptions.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-06-11 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(c).
2026-06-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-06-09 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2026-06-09 California Legislative Information
Ordered to second reading.
2026-06-09 California Legislative Information
From inactive file.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Laird.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-19 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
2025-06-30 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1740.)
2025-05-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-05-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 21).
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on B. & P.
2025-02-15 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 686, as amended, Berman.
Cannabis: appointees: prohibited activities.
Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.
Existing law, until January 1, 2027, prohibits a person, committee, or other entity, within 60 days of an election at which a candidate for elective office will appear on the ballot, from distributing with actual malice materially deceptive audio or visual media of the candidate with the intent to injure the candidate’s reputation or to deceive a voter into voting for or against the candidate, unless the media includes a disclosure stating that the media has been manipulated, subject to specified exemptions.
Existing law, until January 1, 2027, authorizes a candidate for elective office whose voice or likeness appears in audio or visual media distributed in violation of this section to seek injunctive or other equitable relief prohibiting the distribution of the
deceptive audio or visual media; authorizes a candidate whose voice or likeness appears in the deceptive audio or visual media to bring an action for general or special damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed the media; and authorizes the court to award a prevailing party reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. A court is required to place such proceedings on the calendar in the order of their date of filing and give them precedence.
This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to January 1, 2031.
Existing law, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act of 2016 (AUMA), an initiative measure approved as Proposition 64 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, prohibits the director of the Department of Cannabis Control (department) and any member of the Cannabis Control Appeals Panel from engaging in certain activities, including from receiving any commission or profit whatsoever, directly or indirectly, from any person applying for or receiving any license or permit, as described. Existing law, the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), among other things, consolidates
the licensure and regulation of commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis activities.
This bill would also prohibit individuals appointed by the Governor to specified positions in the department from engaging in those activities.

Current Bill Text

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