CaliforniaHug Act protects youth's right to contact during visits
The Hug Act gives youth in juvenile facilities a right to appropriate, consensual contact during in-person visits and requires facilities to set rules for those visits.
What it does
Youth in juvenile facilities have the right to appropriate, consensual contact with visitors during in-person visits, including hugs at the start or end and holding hands.
Facilities may temporarily limit contact only for a significant safety or security concern, including certain court orders or a specific health concern. They must record the reason, length, and steps to restore physical contact.
Each juvenile facility must set rules and procedures for visits that follow the bill's contact requirements.
Argument forYouth and visitors could share caring contact, such as a hug or holding hands, during in-person visits.
Argument againstStaff may need to spend time recording safety concerns and contact limits, and each facility must set rules for visits.
More detail
Youth have the right to consensual physical contact with visitors during in-person visits when a reasonable person would find it appropriate. This applies to all youth held in a juvenile facility, before, during, or after a court decides they are wards of the court.
Facilities may limit contact only when a significant safety or security concern is present, and must document the concern and any limit. These rules apply to physical contact during in-person visits at juvenile facilities. Facilities cannot restrict contact as discipline. A court order limiting visits or visitors, or a temporary and specific health concern, may justify a limit. A limit must be temporary and apply only to the youth or visitor as needed to address the concern. Records must describe how long it lasts and any steps taken to allow physical contact to resume; the state youth ombudsperson's office must receive the records on request.
Each juvenile facility must set rules and procedures for in-person visits that follow these requirements. This applies to all juvenile facilities.
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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 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 537, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 14Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 62. Noes 7. Page 6970.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1646 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 32. Noes 2.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1646 Bryan et al. By Becker. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 25Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jun 24From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 23).Major
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- May 27In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1646 Bryan Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 59. Noes 7. Page 5357.)Passed Assembly
- May 19Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 18Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- May 14From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (May 14).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 4From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 3). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 4Coauthors revised.
- Mar 3
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 9Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Jan 28From printer. May be heard in committee February 27.
- Jan 27Read first time. To print.Introduced
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