SB-1418 • 2026

Preservation of election materials.

Crime Education Elections Technology

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Cervantes
Last action: 2026-06-11
Official status: From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
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.

Preservation of election materials.

SB 1418, as amended, Cervantes.

What This Bill Does

SB 1418, as amended, Cervantes.
Elections officials: meetings.
Preservation of election materials.
Under existing law, various election materials, including ballots, voter rosters, and related documents, must be maintained for a certain amount of time following an election.

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
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
2026-05-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
2026-04-27 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2026-04-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 4067.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2026-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3971.) (April 21).
2026-04-09 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 21.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
2026-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-03-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-02-23 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2026-02-23 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1418, as amended, Cervantes.
Elections officials: meetings.
Preservation of election materials.
Under existing law, various election materials, including ballots, voter rosters, and related documents, must be maintained for a certain amount of time following an election. If an election contest or criminal prosecution has been commenced before the date voted ballots will be destroyed, the ballots may not be destroyed until after final determination of the contest or prosecution.
This bill would expand that provision to prohibit the destruction of any document that must be preserved after an election and any certified voting technology used for the election until after final determination of any contest, criminal investigation, or criminal prosecution.
Existing law makes it a crime to knowingly take a package
containing ballots from the custody of an elections official. Existing law also authorizes the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and appropriate local elections officials to bring a civil action against a person, business, or entity that takes a package containing ballots from the custody of an elections official.
This bill would apply the crime and the authorization to bring a civil action to taking any document, record, or certified voting technology from the custody of the elections official. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the bill would create 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.
Existing law authorizes county elections officials, city elections officials, and registrars of voters to meet up to 3 times in a calendar year to discuss matters affecting the administration of the election laws and to promote uniformity of procedure, as specified.
This bill would authorize meetings up to 4 times in a calendar year.

Current Bill Text

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