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Senate Elections Committee advances bill to limit federal inspections of California voting machines
Summary
Senate Elections Committee voted to advance SB 73, authored by Chair Senator Cervantes, which would prohibit county registrars from allowing federal agents to inspect voting machines; the secretary of state offered technical amendments and a Republican committee member called the bill unnecessary given federal subpoena processes.
Senator Susan (Senator) Cervantes urged the Senate Elections Committee to pass SB 73, saying California's election systems "have been under attack" and that recent public comments by former President Trump and Department of Justice activity in some counties justify statutory protections. "That is why SB 73 builds upon SB 851 by prohibiting county registrars from allowing federal agents from inspecting voting machines," Cervantes said, and added the bill contains an urgency clause so protections are in place before the June statewide primary.
Tim Cromartie, speaking for Secretary of State Shirley Weber, said the secretary "supports the broad concept of SB73" and submitted what he described as friendly amendments to refine language and provide counties detailed guidance on handling inspection requests. Cromartie urged the author to accept the proposed technical fixes to help counties administer any new requirements.
A Republican member of the committee, speaking as the chamber's lone Republican on the panel, opposed the measure as unnecessary and argued the federal government's investigative powers are constrained by subpoena and court process. That member said local governments could not unilaterally block lawful federal actions and could not support the bill in its current form.
After discussion, the committee recorded a motion to pass SB 73 to the Committee on Appropriations. The transcript records a standing vote at that point with Chair Cervantes voting aye, Vice Chair Choi voting no, and Senator Durazo voting aye; the chair left the item open for additional members to arrive.
The committee's debate focused on three points: (1) whether federal actors posed a credible, imminent threat to local election equipment; (2) how to draft enforceable county-level guidance without conflicting with existing federal authority and subpoena processes; and (3) whether friendly technical amendments from the Secretary of State's office could address implementation concerns. The author and the secretary's representative said they would continue negotiating technical language.
The committee advanced the measure for further consideration; the bill will return to subsequent panels for amendment and fiscal analysis before any floor consideration.
