CaliforniaRepeat convictions for covered order violations within seven years involving violence or a credible threat would be felonies
People convicted again of breaking covered protective or stay-away orders would face a felony if the new violation involved violence or a credible threat and occurred within seven years of a prior conviction.
What it does
A second or later conviction for breaking a covered protective or stay-away order would be a felony if the new violation occurred within seven years of a prior covered conviction and involved violence or a credible threat.
Knowingly and deliberately breaking certain criminal protective or stay-away orders could bring felony punishment if the conduct behind the order led to a felony charge or conviction. Separately listed family and home orders, charges reduced to misdemeanors, and dismissed charges are excluded.
If someone is accused of breaking a covered protective or stay-away order and injuring the victim, the judge must consider both allegations when setting, lowering, or denying bail.
Argument forPeople protected by covered orders may be safer because judges must weigh an alleged violation and alleged injury when deciding bail.
Argument againstPeople accused of breaking a covered order and injuring the victim might face higher bail or no bail before those allegations are proven.
More detail
A second or later conviction for breaking a covered order would be punished as a felony. This covers convictions for breaking the specified protective or stay-away orders. The new violation must involve violence or a credible threat of violence. The new violation must occur within seven years of an earlier conviction for breaking one of those orders.
Courts may impose felony punishment for knowingly and deliberately breaking certain criminal protective or stay-away orders. The person under the order must have been charged with or convicted of a felony for the conduct behind the order. This option excludes separately listed family and home orders. It also does not apply if the felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor or dismissed.
Judges must consider an alleged order violation and injury when deciding bail. This applies when someone is accused of breaking a covered protective or stay-away order and injuring the victim in that violation. The judge weighs the charge's seriousness and public safety.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 835, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 28Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 24Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6406.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1877 Stefani Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 20In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB1877 Stefani et al. By Wiener. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 20Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5590.).Passed Senate
- Aug 18Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1877 Stefani Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 5201.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 6Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 26Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 25From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 24).Major
- Mar 24
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Mar 17From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 11In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Mar 2Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 13From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
- Feb 12Read first time. To print.Introduced
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