AB 686 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.

Summary

Existing law, until January 1, 2027, prohibits a person, committee, or other entity, within 60 days of an election at which a candidate for elective office will appear on the ballot, from distributing with actual malice materially deceptive audio or visual media of the candidate with the intent to injure the candidate's reputation or to deceive a voter into voting for or against the candidate, unless the media includes a disclosure stating that the media has been manipulated, subject to specified exemptions. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, authorizes a candidate for elective office whose voice or likeness appears in audio or visual media distributed in violation of this section to seek injunctive or other equitable relief prohibiting the distribution of the deceptive audio or visual media; authorizes a candidate whose voice or likeness appears in the deceptive audio or visual media to bring an action for general or special damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed the media; and authorizes the court to award a prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs. A court is required to place such proceedings on the calendar in the order of their date of filing and give them precedence. This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to January 1, 2031.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 14, 2025 Last action Aug 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

06/09/26 - Amended Senate → 08/13/26 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · Aug 13, 2026

MODERATE

The August 13, 2026 Senate amendment removes all cannabis-related provisions from AB 686, stripping out the section that would have prohibited Governor-appointed officials in the Department of Cannabis Control from receiving commissions or having financial interests tied to licensees. The bill now focuses exclusively on election law provisions prohibiting deceptive audio or visual media near elections. Senator Cervantes was added as a coauthor and the fiscal committee requirement was removed.

SCOPE

Section 5, which amended Business and Professions Code Section 26011 to extend conflict-of-interest prohibitions (no commissions, no financial interests in licensee businesses, no soliciting donations) to individuals appointed by the Governor to positions in the Department of Cannabis Control, was entirely removed from the bill.

The bill title and legislative counsel's digest were updated to remove all references to cannabis regulation. The bill now covers only election-related provisions on deceptive audio or visual media under Code of Civil Procedure Section 35 and Elections Code Section 20010.

TECHNICAL

Senator Cervantes was added as a coauthor of the bill.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee requirement changed from 'yes' to 'no,' reflecting that the remaining provisions no longer carry fiscal implications requiring committee review.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 24, 2026 · Assembly May 27, 2025

How they voted

30–6

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Aug 24, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

6 Nay 4

60% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Aug 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 28).

lower

Aug 25, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.

lower

Aug 24, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Aug 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 6.).

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (August 13).

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jul 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

upper

Jun 15, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Coms. on E. & C.A., JUD., and APPR.

upper

Jun 11, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(c).

upper

Jun 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

upper

Aug 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

upper

Jun 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

upper

May 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1740.)

lower

May 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 21).

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Feb 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor