CaliforniaCrimes: threats.
What it does
Existing law makes it a crime to willfully threaten to commit a crime that will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with the specific intent that the statement is to be taken as a threat that, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made, is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to convey to the person threatened a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby reasonably causes the threatened person to be in sustained fear for their own safety or the safety of their immediate family, as defined. Under existing law, this crime is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for no more than one year for a misdemeanor, or by imprisonment in state prison for a felony.
More detail
This bill would make it a crime for a person to willfully threaten, by any means, including, but not limited to, an image or threat posted or published on an internet web page, to commit a crime at specified locations, including a daycare and workplace, with specific intent that the statement is be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out, if the threat, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to convey to the person or persons threatened a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and if the threat causes a person or person to reasonably be in sustained fear for their own safety or the safety of others at the specified locations. This bill would make this crime, for a person 18 years of age or older, punishable as a wobbler by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year or by imprisonment in the county jail for 16 months or 2 or 3 years. If a person under 18 years of age commits this crime, the bill would require the person to be referred to specified services in lieu of being declared a ward of the court, if eligible. If the person is ineligible, the bill would require the offense to be punished as a misdemeanor. By creating a new crime and imposing additional duties on local governments, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 11Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 594, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 11Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 22Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.To Governor
- Sep 11Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2898.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB19 Rubio et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 9In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 19 Rubio Senate Third Reading By Patel. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 9Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 3072.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Sep 5Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 5Read third time and amended.Major
- Sep 5Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
- Sep 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 29Coauthors revised.
- Jul 9July 9 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 9Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Jun 3In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1371.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB19 Rubio et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 23From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1187.) (May 23).Major
- May 16Set for hearing May 23.
- Apr 7April 7 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 28Set for hearing April 7.
- Mar 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 532.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 13From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Major
- Mar 10From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Major
- Mar 7Set for hearing March 25.
- Jan 29Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- 2024
- Dec 3From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 2.
- Dec 2Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced