Election crimes: payment based on voting or voter registration.

Senator Umberg, joined by coauthors Becker and Lee, advances a measure that makes it a crime to knowingly or willfully pay or offer to pay money or other valuable consideration to induce someone to vote or to register to vote, including incentives that hinge on whether the person voted or registered, and it explicitly covers non-cash prizes such as a lottery-style chance. Three exemptions accompany the core prohibition to avoid penalizing legitimate activities: transportation to or from a voting location, compensation provided by a governmental entity, and granting time off to an employee to vote.

The offense requires proof that the payer acted with the intent to induce voting or registration, or that the payment is contingent on the recipient’s voting or registration status, with “other valuable consideration” expanding beyond cash to include prize-like incentives. Penalties provide a broad range: a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment either under the Penal Code for 16 months, or two or three years, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or any combination of those penalties. The bill interacts with existing law by targeting payments aimed at influencing voting or registration, while acknowledging ongoing restrictions around payments to assist with registration.

Implementation and fiscal context accompany the measure's structure: the act creates a state crime with potential local costs, though it states no state reimbursement is required and marks Local Program: YES. The measure’s legislative path shows amendments and approvals in the spring and early fall of 2025, culminating in enrollment on September 12, 2025, with the absence of an explicit effective date within the text. The policy framework situates the provision as a constraint on electoral incentives, preserving specified exemptions for legitimate activities and aligning enforcement with established criminal standards, while shifting some enforcement considerations to local agencies.