SB 970 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Military or overseas voters.

Summary

Existing law regulates the voting procedures for military or overseas voters to register to vote, to apply for voting ballots, and to vote. Existing law requires, among other things, unvoted voting materials to be electronically transmitted to a military or overseas voter. This bill would require the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations to facilitate the secure return of ballots from military or overseas voters delivered through secure methods.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/03/26 - Introduced → 05/21/26 - Amended Senate · 2 edits · May 21, 2026

MINOR

The amendment to SB 970 (military or overseas voter voting procedures) is primarily technical and procedural. It adds Assembly Member Stefani as a coauthor and corrects formatting issues in the bill text where empty subsection markers had been left behind, causing the line numbering to be reorganized. No substantive policy changes were made to the provisions governing military or overseas voter registration, ballot access, or electronic transmission requirements.

TECHNICAL

Assembly Member Stefani was added as a coauthor of the bill.

Empty subsection letter markers (standalone lines with just a letter and parenthesis) were removed and the remaining provisions were re-lettered sequentially, correcting formatting artifacts from the original introduction. The actual policy text of each provision is unchanged.

Floor votes · Senate May 27, 2026

How they voted

29–1

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 40

May 27, 2026

D Democratic30

29 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican10

1 Nay 9

10% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).

lower

Jul 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Jun 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

lower

Jun 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and M. & V.A.

lower

May 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 1. Page 4504.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 21, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and amended.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 4259.) (May 14).

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 3755.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor