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AB 282CALIFORNIASession 20252026
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California AB 282 makes seizing ballots or election technology a felony

Original title: Elections: seizure of election materials.

August 30, 2026

ElectionsCriminal LawVoting RightsPublic Safetyseizureofelectionmaterials

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Where This Stands

Currently Unknown. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Version history & redline

4 versions on file

Official version history is partial: 4 linked texts are unavailable or incomplete. Source links remain available below.

Comparing 04/10/25 - Amended Assembly → 07/17/25 - Amended Senate
removed addedOfficial text

The text diff for this stage has not been computed yet.

OpenStates mirror retained for redline only; official linked text was unavailable

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

The Frame

What this does

The bill establishes new criminal liability for individuals interfering with election materials, which shifts the legal consequences for unauthorized access to voting equipment and records during the certification period.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

County elections officials

These officials are responsible for the security of election materials and are the primary parties whose work environment is protected by the new criminal penalties.

Local agencies

Local agencies are subject to the state-mandated local program requirements created by the new criminal statutes.

What changed

Last recorded activity August 30, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill creates new felony criminal penalties for anyone who seizes, or directs others to seize, ballots, election records, or certified voting technology before official election results are certified. The measure takes effect immediately as an .

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What specific items are protected under this bill?
The bill protects ballots, election records, and certified voting technology.
When does this law take effect?
The bill is an , meaning it takes effect immediately.
What is the penalty for violating this law?
Violations are felonies. Seizing materials carries a penalty of 16 months, 2, or 3 years in prison. Directing someone else to seize materials carries a penalty of 2, 3, or 4 years in prison.

Why It Matters

The bill establishes new criminal liability for individuals interfering with election materials, which shifts the legal consequences for unauthorized access to voting equipment and records during the certification period.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Criminalization of Election Interference

The bill represents a shift toward specific felony-level criminalization for the handling of election materials prior to certification.

California State Legislature

Connected Entities

otherCalifornia Fair Employment and Housing Act“The state law governing housing discrimination that this bill amends.”Map →
organizationCalifornia State Legislature“The legislative body proposing the bill.”Map →
organizationCivil Rights Department“The state agency responsible for enforcing FEHA provisions.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy60
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment20
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz50
    Current news / social attention level

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