CA AB 502
enactedElections: deceptive media in advertisements.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did CA AB 502 pass?
Yes. CA AB 502 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-19): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 333, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA AB 502 about?
Existing law prohibits a person or entity from knowingly distributing an election communication containing materially deceptive content that portrays specified candidates and officials as doing or saying something that the candidate or official did not do or say if the content is reasonably likely to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate or is reasonably likely to falsely undermine confidence in the outcome of an election. Existing law applies this prohibition within 120 days of an election in California and, for content involving elections officials and voting machines and related equipment, up to 60 days after an election. Existing law exempts an election communication from this prohibition if the content includes a disclosure stating that the communication has been manipulated. Existing law requires, for visual media, that the text of this disclosure appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer and no smaller than the largest font size of other text appearing in the visual media. This bill would instead prohibit the distribution of materially deceptive content that is material to a voter's electoral decisions or to public confidence in an election's process or outcome, as specified. The bill would set forth additional requirements relating to the color and font size of the disclosure's text. The bill would specify that the prohibition applies within the 30 days before an election in California with regard to candidates for any federal, state, or local elected office and elected officials and, with regard to elections officials and voting machines and related equipment, beginning 30 days before an election through 38 days after the election. Under existing law, the prohibition does not apply to an advertisement or other election communication containing materially deceptive content that constitutes satire or parody if the communication includes a specified disclosure. This bill would also exempt an advertisement or other election communication from these prohibitions if a reasonable person would understand that the content was satire or parody. Existing law authorizes a recipient of materially deceptive content, among others, to seek an injunction or to bring an action for general or special damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed or republished the materially deceptive content. This bill would instead authorize the individual depicted in the materially deceptive content to seek the injunction or to bring the action for general or special damages. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Who sponsors CA AB 502?
Pellerin is the primary sponsor of CA AB 502, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Existing law prohibits a person or entity from knowingly distributing an election communication containing materially deceptive content that portrays specified candidates and officials as doing or saying something that the candidate or official did not do or say if the content is reasonably likely to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate or is reasonably likely to falsely undermine confidence in the outcome of an election. Existing law applies this prohibition within 120 days of an election in California and, for content involving elections officials and voting machines and related equipment, up to 60 days after an election. Existing law exempts an election communication from this prohibition if the content includes a disclosure stating that the communication has been manipulated. Existing law requires, for visual media, that the text of this disclosure appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer and no smaller than the largest font size of other text appearing in the visual media. This bill would instead prohibit the distribution of materially deceptive content that is material to a voter's electoral decisions or to public confidence in an election's process or outcome, as specified. The bill would set forth additional requirements relating to the color and font size of the disclosure's text. The bill would specify that the prohibition applies within the 30 days before an election in California with regard to candidates for any federal, state, or local elected office and elected officials and, with regard to elections officials and voting machines and related equipment, beginning 30 days before an election through 38 days after the election. Under existing law, the prohibition does not apply to an advertisement or other election communication containing materially deceptive content that constitutes satire or parody if the communication includes a specified disclosure. This bill would also exempt an advertisement or other election communication from these prohibitions if a reasonable person would understand that the content was satire or parody. Existing law authorizes a recipient of materially deceptive content, among others, to seek an injunction or to bring an action for general or special damages against the person, committee, or other entity that distributed or republished the materially deceptive content. This bill would instead authorize the individual depicted in the materially deceptive content to seek the injunction or to bring the action for general or special damages. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
- Introduced
- 2025-03-05
- Latest action
- 2026-09-19 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 333, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Pellerinauthor
- Bermanauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-19
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 333, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-09-19
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-09-09
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-30
Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
2026-08-30
Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 61. Noes 17.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,passage
2026-08-30
Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 61. Noes 17. Page 6853.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,passage
2026-08-28
From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (August 28).
committee-passage
2026-08-26
Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended.
2026-08-26
Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 6621.)
2026-08-25
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2026-08-25
Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.
referral-committee
2026-08-25
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9.).
amendment-passage,passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-06-29
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-06-25
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-06-25
From inactive file.
2026-06-25
Ordered to second reading.
reading-1,reading-2
2025-09-08
Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Blakespear.
2025-09-08
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-09-04
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-07-17
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-07-16
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (July 15).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-07-09
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
referral-committee
2025-07-01
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-06-16
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-05-07
Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
referral-committee
2025-04-24
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2025-04-24
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 1279.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-04-10
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
reading-1,reading-2
2025-04-09
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 9).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-03-26
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-03-06
Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
referral-committee
2025-03-05
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-02-24
Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
referral-committee
2025-02-11
From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
2025-02-10
Read first time. To print.
reading-1
Versions
- 02/10/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-10Compare
- 03/05/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-03-05Compare
- 06/16/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-06-16Compare
- 09/04/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-09-04Compare
- 06/25/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-06-25Compare
- 09/03/26 - Enrolled — 2026-09-03Compare
- 09/19/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-19Compare
- AB502Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
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Votes
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
2025-03-26 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Stefani: yes
- Berman: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Solache: yes
Do pass. To Consent Calendar.
2025-04-09 · pass · 14-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Sanchez: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Solache: yes
- Hart: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Fong: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Ta: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Pellerin: other
AB 502 Pellerin Consent Calendar Second Day
2025-04-24 · pass · 75-0
Member-level votes (79)
- Ellis: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Fong: yes
- Ward: yes
- Bains: yes
- Berman: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Davies: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Soria: yes
- Ta: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Krell: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Patel: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Lee: yes
- Flora: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Solache: yes
- Alanis: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- Addis: yes
- Haney: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Hart: yes
- Wallis: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Papan: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Gallagher: other
- Chen: other
- Lackey: other
- Harabedian: other
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Rules]
2025-07-01 · pass · 4-0
Member-level votes (5)
- Umberg: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Allen: yes
- Limón: yes
- Choi: other
Do pass
2025-07-15 · pass · 11-2
Member-level votes (13)
- Caballero: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Laird: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Stern: yes
- Allen: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Valladares: no
- Niello: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-21T02:53:48.612860Z
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