AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

98

Introduced by Assembly Member Sanchez

February 9, 2026

An act to amend Section 2206 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Care Services. Existing law requires the Secretary of State or county elections officials, as applicable, to use those death statistics to cancel the affidavits of voter registration of deceased persons.

This bill would authorize the Secretary of State, on or before January 1, 2028, to enter into an agreement with the federal Social Security Administration to facilitate the availability of death statistics. If the Secretary of State enters into such an agreement, the bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations governing the electronic transfer of death statistics from the Social Security Administration. The bill would require the Secretary of State or county elections officials, as applicable, to use data obtained from the State Department of Health Care Services and the federal Social Security Administration to cancel the affidavits of registrations registration of deceased persons.

By increasing the duties of local elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 2206 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

2206.

(a) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Care Services. The Secretary of State or county elections officials shall use data obtained pursuant to this subdivision to cancel the affidavits of registration of deceased persons.

(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2028, the Secretary of State may enter into an agreement with the federal Social Security Administration to facilitate the availability of death statistics.

(2) If the Secretary of State enters into an agreement pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall adopt regulations governing the electronic transfer of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration.

(3) The Secretary of State or county elections officials shall use data obtained pursuant to this section the data of death statistics from the federal Social Security Administration to cancel the affidavits of registrations registration of deceased persons.

SEC. 2.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.