The California Assembly has passed Senate Bill 1174, which bans local governments from implementing their own voter ID requirements. The bill, approved by a 57-16 vote, prohibits any local charter provision, ordinance, or regulation that would mandate voters to present identification at polling places, voter centers, or other ballot submission locations.
Introduced by State Senator David Min (D) and co-sponsored by Senator Josh Newman (D), the legislation aims to prevent a patchwork of voter ID rules across the state. Min criticized local efforts to impose such requirements, particularly citing claims from Huntington Beach City Council members. “If they produced any evidence of widespread voter fraud, I would support changes to California’s voter eligibility rules,” Min said, according to the Daily Pilot.
Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R) proposed an amendment to the bill to prevent illegal migrants from voting, but this was reportedly rejected. The bill’s passage follows a recent Huntington Beach ballot initiative, which passed with 53.4% support, aiming to enforce voter ID requirements starting in 2026. In response, California has sued Huntington Beach, with Attorney General Rob Bonta calling the ID mandate “blatantly and flatly illegal” and accusing the city of willful legal violations, as noted by the Los Angeles Times.