AB-1079
Civil Rights & Liberties

Civil appeals: stay of enforcement.

Introduced
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 Assembly Standing Committee on Elections
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Elections
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Bill EssayliR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Bill EssayliR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Jose SolacheD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Catherine StefaniD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assemblymember
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
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

Latest Voting History

April 30, 2025
PASS
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
4217PASS

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.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/20/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Elections
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Elections
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Elections Hearing
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Latest Voting History

April 30, 2025
PASS
Assembly Committee
Assembly Elections Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
4217PASS

Contacts

Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Bill EssayliR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Marc BermanD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Steve BennettD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Bill EssayliR
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Anamarie FariasD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Jose SolacheD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
Catherine StefaniD
Assemblymember
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assemblymember
Committee Member