AB-1079
Civil Rights & Liberties

Civil appeals: stay of enforcement.

Engrossed
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Requires immediate enforcement of court orders against voting rights violations even during appeals.
  • Allows the Attorney General and Secretary of State to halt enforcement if needed for election integrity.
  • Mandates violating jurisdictions to reimburse county election officials for enforcement costs.
  • Applies only to voting rights and redistricting cases filed after January 1, 2026.

Summary

Assembly Member Ávila Farías proposes modifications to California's civil appeals process to prevent automatic stays of court orders that address violations of state voting rights and districting laws. The legislation creates exceptions to the standard practice of staying trial court proceedings when appeals are filed in cases involving the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 and the FAIR MAPS Act of 2023.

Under the proposed changes, court orders finding violations of at-large voting methods or election district boundaries would remain enforceable during appeals unless the trial court specifically orders otherwise. The Attorney General and Secretary of State may jointly certify that staying enforcement serves voting rights purposes or is necessary for orderly election administration. Parties found in violation must reimburse county election officials for costs incurred from implementing court-ordered changes during appeals.

The bill applies only to legal actions filed after January 1, 2026, and maintains appellate courts' existing authority to issue stays or writs of supersedeas. These provisions aim to address what the bill's findings describe as irreparable harms that occur when elections proceed under systems that dilute minority votes or employ improper district boundaries.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2100
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 1079 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
Do pass as amended
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Elections]
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 14 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 3
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Maria DurazoD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Akilah Weber PiersonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Angelique AshbyD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Anamarie Farias
Anamarie FariasD
California State Assembly Member
40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/4/2025)

Latest Voting History

June 4, 2025
PASS
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5516879PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Requires immediate enforcement of court orders against voting rights violations even during appeals.
  • Allows the Attorney General and Secretary of State to halt enforcement if needed for election integrity.
  • Mandates violating jurisdictions to reimburse county election officials for enforcement costs.
  • Applies only to voting rights and redistricting cases filed after January 1, 2026.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Anamarie Farias
Anamarie FariasD
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Ávila Farías proposes modifications to California's civil appeals process to prevent automatic stays of court orders that address violations of state voting rights and districting laws. The legislation creates exceptions to the standard practice of staying trial court proceedings when appeals are filed in cases involving the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 and the FAIR MAPS Act of 2023.

Under the proposed changes, court orders finding violations of at-large voting methods or election district boundaries would remain enforceable during appeals unless the trial court specifically orders otherwise. The Attorney General and Secretary of State may jointly certify that staying enforcement serves voting rights purposes or is necessary for orderly election administration. Parties found in violation must reimburse county election officials for costs incurred from implementing court-ordered changes during appeals.

The bill applies only to legal actions filed after January 1, 2026, and maintains appellate courts' existing authority to issue stays or writs of supersedeas. These provisions aim to address what the bill's findings describe as irreparable harms that occur when elections proceed under systems that dilute minority votes or employ improper district boundaries.

40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/4/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2100
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 1079 Ávila Farías Assembly Third Reading
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
Do pass as amended
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Elections]
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Latest Voting History

June 4, 2025
PASS
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5516879PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 14 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 3
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Roger NielloR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Benjamin AllenD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Eloise ReyesD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Scott WienerD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Henry SternD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Maria DurazoD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tom UmbergD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
John LairdD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Akilah Weber PiersonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Angelique AshbyD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Suzette ValladaresR
Senator
Committee Member