California Assembly Bill 5
Session 20252026
Elections: official canvass.
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 3, 2025
Origin Chamber
Assembly
Type
Bill
Bill Number
5
State
California
Session
20252026
Motion Text
AB 5 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
Assembly Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ávila Farías
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Johnson
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Summary
Existing law requires elections officials to commence the canvass for an election no later than the Thursday following the election and to make the canvass open to the public. Existing law requires the canvass to be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than six hours each day until completed. Existing law requires elections officials to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election within 30 days of the election and to send the Secretary of State a complete copy of all election results within 31 days of the election. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote no later than the 38th day after the election.
This bill would require elections officials, on or before the 13th day following an election, to finish counting all ballots, with certain exceptions, including provisional ballots and ballots for which the voter must either verify or provide a signature, and release a vote count for those ballots. If an elections official will not meet that deadline, they would be required to file a notice of extension, including the reason for the extension, with the Secretary of State. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, the 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
12/02/24 - Introduced
December 2, 2024
03/10/25 - Amended Assembly
March 10, 2025
06/24/25 - Amended Senate
June 24, 2025
07/02/25 - Amended Senate
July 2, 2025
09/11/25 - Enrolled
September 11, 2025
10/03/25 - Chaptered
October 3, 2025
04/07/25- Assembly Elections
April 7, 2025
04/21/25- Assembly Appropriations
April 21, 2025
05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
May 28, 2025
06/27/25- Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments
June 27, 2025
07/11/25- Senate Appropriations
July 11, 2025
08/29/25- Sen. Floor Analyses
August 29, 2025
09/09/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS
September 9, 2025
Sort by most recent
10/03/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 250, Statutes of 2025.
10/03/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/16/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
09/09/2025
Assembly
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3098.).
09/08/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
09/08/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2611.).
08/29/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/29/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
07/14/2025
Senate
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
07/02/2025
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/01/2025
Senate
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1).
06/24/2025
Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
06/11/2025
Senate
Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
05/29/2025
Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
05/29/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1774.)
05/27/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/23/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
04/23/2025
Assembly
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
04/09/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
03/11/2025
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
03/10/2025
Assembly
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.
03/10/2025
Assembly
Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
12/03/2024
Assembly
From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
12/02/2024
Assembly
Read first time. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Dec 3, 2024 6:39:48 PM
Record Updated
Nov 14, 2025 8:42:41 AM