An act to amend Section 20 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.
Summary
AB 2691 would expand California’s rules on who may run for or be elected to state or local elective office. Under current law, people convicted of certain felony offenses involving bribery, embezzlement or theft of public money, extortion, and perjury are barred from candidacy and officeholding. This bill adds felony convictions involving sexual assault and human trafficking to that list, and it defines those terms by reference to specified Penal Code sections. The measure also clarifies that out-of-state, federal, and foreign convictions count if the offense would be a felony in California and the person has not received a qualifying pardon.
The bill also includes a separate change to Elections Code Section 2022 regarding domicile, but that portion is described as nonsubstantive and appears to restate existing law that a voter loses California domicile when moving to another state with the intent to make that state their domicile. The bill is framed as an elections measure and does not create a fiscal appropriation or local program mandate.
In terms of impact, AB 2691 would tighten eligibility standards for public office by making additional serious felony convictions disqualifying for candidates and officeholders at both the state and local level. It would affect individuals with qualifying convictions, election officials who assess candidate eligibility, and potentially courts or election administrators interpreting disqualification rules. The bill amends Elections Code Section 20 and makes a conforming change to Section 2022.
The available vote history suggests broad support and little visible opposition. The bill received a unanimous 7-0 do pass vote in committee and later passed the Assembly 67-0, indicating strong bipartisan agreement. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded debate in the supplied materials.
The main point of contention, to the extent one exists, is the scope of disqualification: the bill extends an existing bar on candidacy to include sexual assault and human trafficking convictions. Supporters likely view this as a public integrity and accountability measure, while any concerns would center on whether the expanded list is appropriately tailored and how broadly the disqualification should apply. The vote record, however, shows no recorded opposition in the materials provided.
Impact
AB 2691 amends Elections Code Section 20 to expand the list of felony convictions that disqualify a person from being considered a candidate for, or elected to, any state or local elective office. It adds felony sexual assault and human trafficking convictions, while retaining existing disqualifying offenses involving bribery, public corruption, and perjury. The bill also makes a nonsubstantive change to Elections Code Section 2022 concerning loss of domicile when a voter moves out of state. It does not appear to create new fiscal obligations or local program requirements.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the available record is strongly favorable. The bill advanced with a unanimous committee vote and later passed the Assembly 67-0, suggesting broad bipartisan agreement and little to no formal opposition in the legislative record provided. No committee discussion transcripts were included, so there is no evidence of substantive floor or committee debate in the supplied materials.
Contention
The central policy issue is whether convictions for sexual assault and human trafficking should be added to the list of felonies that bar a person from running for or holding state or local office. Supporters would likely frame the change as a public trust and integrity measure, while any critics would be concerned about the breadth of disqualification and the consequences of permanently excluding people with those convictions from the ballot. The domicile language appears to be noncontroversial because the bill describes it as nonsubstantive, and the vote record shows no recorded dissent.