CaliforniaCoerced marriage.
What it does
(1) Existing law makes it a crime for a person to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry that person, to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.
More detail
This bill would eliminate the crime of compelling a person to be defiled. The bill would specify that the crime of compelling a person to marry shall be applied equally regardless of the age of the victim of a forced marriage at the time of the forced marriage.
(2) Existing law provides that a marriage is voidable and may be adjudged a nullity if certain conditions existed at the time of the marriage, including, among others, the party commencing the proceeding was under the age of consent, either party was of unsound mind, the consent of either party was obtained by fraud or by force, or either party was, at the marriage, physically incapable of entering into the marriage state, and that incapacity continues, and appears to be incurable. Existing law requires a proceeding to obtain a judgment of nullity of marriage for the causes described above to be commenced by specified parties within specified periods, including, among others, by the party whose consent was obtained by fraud or by force, within 4 years after the marriage.
This bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, authorize a court to grant permission, upon a showing of good cause, for a party to proceed with a petition for nullity of marriage that is filed beyond the relevant filing period if the party's consent to the marriage was obtained by force. The bill would require the Judicial Council to modify or develop the forms necessary to implement those provisions.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 11Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 633, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 11Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 11Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 4In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.Minor
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB1134 Bains et al. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 4Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2523.).Passed Senate
- Sep 2Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 29Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).Minor
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 11Referred to Coms. on JUD. and PUB. S.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1879.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 1134 Bains Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 7In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 28Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Joint Rule 10.5.Minor
- Apr 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Apr 23Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Apr 22From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Apr 8
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 2Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Apr 1From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 11Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Mar 10From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 10Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced