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Committee advances bill to expand state voting‑rights protections and preapproval authority
Summary
SB 1164, described by its author as the California Voting Rights Act of 2026, would codify federal Voting Rights Act protections into state law, expand remedies against vote dilution and voter suppression and create a limited preapproval mechanism; supporters say it codifies existing case law, while cities and some members urged care around pending litigation.
Senator Cervantes presented SB 1164 as part of a legislative package to strengthen voting rights in California in response to federal rollbacks. The author said the bill would "codify many of the provisions of the federal voting rights act into state law" to preserve protections against vote dilution, voter suppression and discrimination and would give the California attorney general and private litigants additional enforcement tools.
Civil‑rights witnesses spoke in strong support. Kristen Nemmers of the California Black Power Network described…
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