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Assembly bill · 20252026

AB 686

Elections: deceptive audio or visual media.

Became lawOfficial record on California Legislative Information

Progress

582 days from first to latest action, across 34 recorded actions.

  1. Filed

    Feb 14

  2. Referred to committee

    Mar 3

  3. Heard in committee

    Apr 1

  4. Reported from committee

    Apr 1

  5. Passed first chamber

    May 27

  6. Passed second chamber

    Aug 24

  7. Sent to governor

    Sep 9

  8. Became law

    Sep 19

AssemblySenateMarJunSepDecMarJunSep

Filled marks are milestones (committee report, floor passage, governor action). Larger marks hold more same-day actions.

Record votes

Each dot is one member, grouped by how they voted.

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Assembly · Apr 1, 2025

Passed 17–0

17 Yea

0 Nay

1 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Do pass. To Consent Calendar.

Assembly · May 21, 2025

Passed 15–0

15 Yea

0 Nay

0 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

AB 686 Berman Consent Calendar Second Day

Assembly · May 27, 2025

Passed 76–0

76 Yea

0 Nay

3 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Senate · Jun 30, 2025

Passed 9–0

9 Yea

0 Nay

2 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Senate · Jun 30, 2026

Passed 11–0

11 Yea

0 Nay

2 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]

Senate · Jun 30, 2026Party-line vote

Passed 4–1

4 Yea

1 Nay

0 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Placed on suspense file

Senate · Aug 3, 2026

Passed 7–0

7 Yea

0 Nay

0 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Do pass as amended

Senate · Aug 13, 2026Party-line vote

Passed 5–1

5 Yea

1 Nay

1 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

3rd Reading AB686 Berman et al. By Allen

Senate · Aug 24, 2026Party-line vote

Passed 30–6

30 Yea

6 Nay

4 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

With recommendation: That Senate amendments be concurred in.

Assembly · Aug 28, 2026Party-line vote

Passed 6–2

6 Yea

2 Nay

0 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

AB 686 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Assembly · Aug 30, 2026Party-line vote

Passed 63–14

63 Yea

14 Nay

2 Absent / not voting

RepublicanDemocratic

Full history

Every action recorded by California Legislative Information.

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 334, Statutes of 2026.

    Sep 19, 2026 · Joint

  2. Approved by the Governor.

    Sep 19, 2026 · Joint

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m.

    Sep 9, 2026 · Joint

  4. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 14. Page 6861.). Elections

    Aug 30, 2026 · Assembly

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

    Aug 28, 2026 · Assembly

  6. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 6621.)

    Aug 26, 2026 · Assembly

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

    Aug 25, 2026 · Assembly

  8. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

    Aug 24, 2026 · Assembly

  9. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 6. Page 5705.).

    Aug 24, 2026 · Senate

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    Aug 17, 2026 · Senate

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

    Aug 13, 2026 · Senate

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

    Aug 13, 2026 · Senate

  13. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

    Aug 3, 2026 · Senate

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

    Jul 1, 2026 · Senate

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

    Jun 30, 2026 · Senate

  16. Re-referred to Coms. on E. & C.A., JUD., and APPR. Elections and Constitutional Amendments

    Jun 15, 2026 · Senate

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

    Jun 11, 2026 · Senate

  18. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    Jun 10, 2026 · Senate

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

    Jun 9, 2026 · Senate

  20. Ordered to second reading.

    Jun 9, 2026 · Senate

  21. From inactive file.

    Jun 9, 2026 · Senate

  22. Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Laird.

    Sep 4, 2025 · Senate

  23. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    Aug 20, 2025 · Senate

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

    Aug 19, 2025 · Senate

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

    Jun 30, 2025 · Senate

  26. Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D. Business, Professions and Economic Development

    Jun 4, 2025 · Senate

  27. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

    May 28, 2025 · Senate

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

    May 27, 2025 · Assembly

  29. Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

    May 22, 2025 · Assembly

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

    May 21, 2025 · Assembly

  31. 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. Appropriations

    Apr 1, 2025 · Assembly

  32. Referred to Com. on B. & P. Business and Professions

    Mar 3, 2025 · Assembly

  33. From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.

    Feb 15, 2025 · Assembly

  34. Read first time. To print.

    Feb 14, 2025 · Assembly

Authors

and 1 coauthor or sponsor

Show 1 more
  • Sabrina Cervantes coauthorD

In committee

Topics

Electionsdeceptiveaudioorvisualmedia

Bill text

  • 02/14/25 - IntroducedPDF
  • 06/09/26 - Amended SenatePDF
  • 08/13/26 - Amended SenatePDF
  • 09/03/26 - EnrolledPDF
  • 09/19/26 - ChapteredPDF
  • AB686HTML

Bills on similar topics

Other legislation this session sharing the most subjects.

BillAuthorProgressStatusLast action
AB 1664Elections: law enforcement investigations of election records or voting technology.Corey JacksonDBecame lawBecame lawSep 19, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 336, Statutes of 2026.
AB 2786Elections.Committee on Elections–Became lawBecame lawAug 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 143, Statutes of 2026.
AB 287Elections: polling places and vote centers.Tom LackeyRBecame lawBecame lawOct 3, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 253, Statutes of 2025.
AB 2604Elections: ballot curing.Marc BermanDBecame lawBecame lawSep 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 628, Statutes of 2026.
AB 5Elections: official canvass.Marc BermanDBecame lawBecame lawOct 3, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 250, Statutes of 2025.
AB 282Elections: seizure of election materials.Gail PellerinDBecame lawBecame lawSep 19, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 330, Statutes of 2026.
AB 686 (20252026) · Polis