Bill > AB1079

This bill aims to modify how civil appeals are handled in cases involving voting rights and electoral district boundaries, specifically for the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 and the FAIR MAPS Act of 2023. Currently, filing an appeal automatically stays (pauses) the enforcement of a trial court's judgment, but this bill would change that process for certain voting rights and electoral district cases. If a trial court finds that a party's election method or district boundaries likely violate these voting rights laws, the enforcement of the court's order would not be automatically stayed upon appeal. However, if the Attorney General and Secretary of State jointly file a certification stating that staying the enforcement is necessary for voting rights purposes or election administration, then the enforcement would be paused. Additionally, the party found to have violated these laws would be required to reimburse county election officials for any costs incurred in administering elections as a result of the court's order. These provisions would apply to legal proceedings commenced on or before January 1, 2026, and are intended to ensure that voting rights protections are implemented promptly and that minority communities are not subject to potentially discriminatory electoral systems during lengthy appeal processes.

Government Affairs, Justice

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