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Bill would extend felony protections to election records and voting systems
Summary
SB 1418 would expand the chain-of-custody and felony protections established in SB 73 to additional election records, certified voting technologies and electronic data; the Attorney General's office testified in support and the committee passed the bill as amended to appropriations.
The author described SB 1418 as a follow-up to SB 73 to ensure that sensitive election documents, certified voting technologies, electronic data and other records necessary to conduct elections remain in the custody of elections officials and are protected from seizure. Tiffany Brokaw, deputy attorney general, testified that the bill would expand felony prohibitions on removing voted ballots to other election materials and provide the Secretary of State, Attorney General and county registrars with civil remedies.
Supporters framed the change as necessary after an incident in which the Riverside County sheriff seized voted ballots and other records, undermining chain-of-custody and evidentiary value. The committee voted to pass the bill as amended and refer it to the Appropriations Committee.
