Elections: penal provisions.

Existing law prohibits a person in possession of a firearm, uniformed peace officer, private guard, or security personnel from being stationed or posted at a polling place without written authorization of the appropriate elections official. Violation of this provision is punishable by a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both fine and imprisonment. Existing law prohibits the hiring of or arranging for a person in possession of a firearm, uniformed peace officer, private guard, or security personnel to be stationed or posted at a polling place without written authorization of the appropriate elections official. Violation of this provision is punishable by a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, or in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both fine and imprisonment. This bill would increase the maximum fine for those offenses to $16,000 and require that the fine amount be adjusted annually by any annual increase in the California Consumer Price Index, as described.