SB-398 • 2026

Election crimes: payment based on voting or voter registration.

Crime Education Elections

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Umberg
Last action: 2025-10-02
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 246, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on enforcement mechanisms or timelines for when the law takes effect, leaving these points uncertain.

Making It Illegal to Pay People to Vote or Register

The law makes it illegal to offer money or valuable things in exchange for someone voting or registering to vote, and sets penalties including fines up to $10,000 or jail time of up to three years.

What This Bill Does

Makes it a crime to pay or offer to pay money or other valuable consideration with the intent to induce another person to vote or register to vote.
Sets penalties for this crime including fines of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.

Who It Names or Affects

People who offer money or valuable things in exchange for someone voting or registering to vote will face penalties under this law.

Terms To Know

valuable consideration: Something of value, like money or gifts, that someone might offer in exchange for a favor.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if people are offered something valuable but do not actually vote.
It is unclear how this law will be enforced and who will check if it is being followed.
There is no information on when the new rules start to take effect.

Bill History

2025-10-02 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 246, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-02 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-17 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2829.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2993.) Ordered to the Senate.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-03 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-07-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 2).
2025-06-05 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and PUB. S.
2025-05-29 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-05-29 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1335.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1199.) (May 23).
2025-05-16 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-25 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 5.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 841.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 22.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 609.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-03-20 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 1.
2025-02-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on E. & C.A. and PUB. S.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 398, Umberg.
Election crimes: payment based on voting or voter registration.
Under existing law, it is a crime for a person to receive money or other valuable consideration to assist another to register to vote by receiving the completed affidavit of registration if the person fails to sign the affidavit and include certain other information, including the name and telephone number of the person, company, or organization, if any, that has agreed to pay the money or other valuable consideration.
This bill would make it a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 3 years, or both, for a person to knowingly or willfully pay or offer to pay money or other valuable consideration to another person with the intent to induce the person to vote or to register to vote, or where the payment is contingent upon whether the person voted or the person’s voter registration status. By creating a new 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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF