Committee advances AB 1249 to require minimum early voting Saturday in non‑VCA counties

The Assembly Elections Committee voted to pass AB 1249 as amended, sending the bill to the Appropriations Committee after discussion about early voting access and local implementation burdens.

AB 1249 requires each non-Voter's Choice Act (non-VCA) county to operate at least one early voting location for a full eight hours on the Saturday before a statewide election. The bill also clarifies that voters who bring a completed vote-by-mail ballot to an early voting location may, like on election day, either deposit the ballot in a secure drop box or verify their identity and scan the ballot directly; the ballot previously mailed to that voter would be voided when the in-person ballot is scanned. The author said the requirement is a minimum — counties may provide additional locations or hours — and the bill sets a two-week minimum public-notice requirement for satellite locations.

Wilson and witnesses from the Secretary of State’s office (Tim Cromartie) told the committee the measure seeks to expand access for working families, caregivers and voters with transportation challenges in the 29 California counties that do not currently operate under the Voter’s Choice Act. Cromartie emphasized that the exact location(s) chosen remain at the discretion of local registrars and that the bill does not alter the mechanics used for signature verification or ballot processing; it only requires a minimum early-voting opportunity in non-VCA counties.

Members asked detailed questions about how vote-by-mail ballots would be handled when a voter uses a ballot they filled out at home at the early-voting site. Assemblymember Sito and others pressed the author and the SOS witness on whether the proposal would eliminate the envelope-based verification step; the author repeatedly explained that the early‑voting site would mirror election‑day procedures — voters who hand in completed vote-by-mail ballots may either deposit them in a secure bin (with signature verification from the envelope) or check in as an in‑person voter and scan their ballot after signing the check-in roster.

Rural county concerns were raised: some members said small registrars have limited staffing and that the bill imposes an unfunded operational burden. The author responded that the bill permits counties to satisfy the requirement by opening the registrar’s main office for the eight hours (which reduces logistical costs of a satellite location) and said he had reached out to counties in his district; the bill does not include a state appropriation for added staffing.

The committee passed the bill as amended and re-referred it to Appropriations. Recorded committee votes were: Pellerin — aye; Macedo — no; Berman — aye; Salace — aye; Stephanie — aye; Tongapha — no. The clerk announced the motion carried and the bill will be considered by Appropriations.