Bill Text: CA AB773 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 773 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Voter education: high school pupils.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2020-01-21 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB773 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB773-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 773

Introduced by Assembly Member Gonzalez

February 19, 2019

An act to amend Section 49040 of, and to add Section 49042 to, the Education Code, relating to voter registration.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 773, as introduced, Gonzalez. Voter registration: high school pupils.

(1) Existing law requires the last 2 full weeks in April and in September to be known as “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote pupils and school personnel on high school campuses.

This bill would provide that, in presidential election years only, the last 2 full weeks in January and in September would be known as “high school voter education weeks.” The dates in existing law would remain the same in the other years.

The bill would require school districts to develop and present, in coordination with county election officials, educational programming, as defined, to provide designated information about voter registration to pupils in grade 12 in assemblies and presentations on high school campuses during high school voter education weeks. The bill would require that school districts offer pupils the opportunity to preregister to vote during the assembly or presentation, as specified.

To the extent the bill would create new duties for school districts and county elections officers, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

(2) 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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 49040 of the Education Code is amended to read:

49040.

(a) ~~The~~ In years when there is no presidential election, the last two full weeks in April and the last two full weeks in September shall be known as as, and in presidential election years, the last two full weeks in January and the last two full weeks in September shall be known as, “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official shall be allowed to register ~~students~~ pupils and school personnel on any high school campus in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or ~~his or her~~ the administrator’s designee, which are reasonably accessible to all ~~students.~~ pupils.

(b) This section does not preclude a person from registering to vote ~~students~~ pupils and school personnel on a high school campus as is otherwise permitted by the Elections Code.

SEC. 2.

Section 49042 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 49041, to read:

49042.

(a) A school district shall do all of the following:

(1) Develop and present, in coordination with county election officials, educational programming for pupils in grade 12 that will be implemented on each high school campus of that school district. This programming shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, information about all of the following topics:

(A) Eligibility for, and requirements relating to, registering to vote.

(B) Various methods to register to vote, including the ability to preregister to voter.

(C) Acquiring official, nonpartisan election and voter information from county and state election officials, including, but not necessarily limited to, accessing their respective internet websites.

(D) How to locate a polling place or vote center.

(E) What to expect when voting in person at a polling place or vote center.

(F) How to complete and submit a ballot through various methods, including vote by mail and in person at a polling place or vote center.

(G) An individual’s rights as a voter.

(2) Implement the educational programming during a presentation or assembly, not to exceed two hours in duration, at the high school campus. This presentation or assembly shall take place during the high school voter education weeks established pursuant to Section 49040.

(3) Offer pupils the opportunity to preregister to vote during the presentation or assembly conducted pursuant to paragraph (2). This preregistration shall be accomplished through the use of a device that may include, but not necessarily be limited to, a laptop computer, smartphone, or tablet that can access the voter registration internet website of the Secretary of State.

(b) As used in this section, “educational programming” means a presentation accomplished through the use of methods that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, live speakers, audio-visual content, printed material, PowerPoint, or through a combination of those methods.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.