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<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250SB__087398AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>98</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-06</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-25</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>873</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senators Reyes and Umberg</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Senators Durazo and Gonzalez)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Reyes</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Umberg</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Durazo</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Gonzalez</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:Title>An act to add Section 43.541 to, and to repeal and add Section 43.54 of, the Civil Code, relating to courts. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>courts</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Courthouses: privilege from civil arrest.</ns0:Subject>
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<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law prohibits a person from being subject to civil arrest in a courthouse while attending a court proceeding or having legal business in a courthouse, except pursuant to a valid judicial warrant. Existing law confers specified powers to judicial officers, including to preserve and enforce order in the officer’s immediate presence and in proceedings before the officer, to compel obedience to the officer’s lawful orders, and to prohibit activities that threaten access to courthouses and court proceedings, including protecting the privilege from civil arrest at courthouses and court proceedings.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would prohibit a person from being subject to civil arrest while traveling to, while present at, or while traveling from a courthouse for any lawful
activity, as defined. The bill would authorize a court to issue appropriate judicial orders to protect the privilege from civil arrest. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring a civil action to obtain appropriate equitable and declaratory relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of these provisions has occurred or is imminent. The bill would also authorize a person who has been subject to civil arrest to bring a civil action for appropriate equitable and declaratory relief and civil damages, including actual damages and statutory damages of $10,000. The bill would authorize the person in a successful action to recover court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require the Judicial Council to promulgate rules necessary to ensure specified requirements, including, among other things, that any
representative of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency who, while acting in an official capacity, enters a courthouse intending to arrest an individual identify themselves to uniformed court personnel, state their specific law enforcement purpose and the intended enforcement action to be taken, and provide court personnel with a copy of a valid judicial warrant concerning the intended enforcement action to be taken. The bill would require courts to maintain data regarding activities undertaken by law enforcement personnel at courthouses and provide that data to the Judicial Council. The bill would require the Judicial Council to annually prepare a report compiling statistics related to law enforcement agencies engaging in law enforcement activity of any kind at courthouses, as specified, and to post the report on its public internet website and on the California Courts Judicial Branch of California internet website.</html:p>
<html:p> This bill would also make related findings and declarations and specify that the provisions of this act are severable.</html:p>
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<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
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<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_93F4B947-E6AD-479F-A0EB-06FB4E919126">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
California courts are a cornerstone of California’s government, ensuring the right of every person to obtain justice under the California Constitution, and playing an essential role in the peaceful and just resolution of disputes.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Access to courts and the court's ability to administer justice is, therefore, a matter of statewide concern, fostering fairness while promoting public confidence in, and respect for, the judicial
process.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The threat that persons may be subject to civil arrest while in California’s courthouses or attending judicial proceedings is a threat to the proper functioning of California’s government and to the rights enjoyed by all Californians. Protecting persons from civil arrest at or near California’s courthouses or judicial proceedings is necessary to ensure that litigants, witnesses, victims of crime, and others are not deterred from participating in such proceedings so that courts and parties have access to testimony and other evidence critical to factfinding and to ensure the dignity of judicial proceedings is upheld.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Access to courts is necessary to preserve the right to petition government for redress, and to preserve numerous trial rights of individuals,
including the right to be present, to present claims and defenses, to testify at trial, to call witnesses, to compulsory process, and to have a public trial. Access to courts also protects Californians’ rights to equal protection of the laws.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Protecting persons from civil arrest while on or near California’s courthouses or judicial proceedings is also necessary to preserve the individual rights of all Californians. Access to courts is also part of the right to free speech enshrined in the California and United States Constitutions.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Public scrutiny of judicial proceedings allows the public to observe the functioning of their government, fostering fairness, promoting public confidence in the judicial process, serving as a critical check on the use and abuse of judicial
power, and enhancing the truth-finding function of judicial proceedings.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Civil arrests of persons in California’s courthouses or attending judicial proceedings are unreasonable and unlawful seizures whether undertaken by local, state, or federal officers.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(h)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Courts are essential to a republican form of government and to the functioning of California’s government. California has the reserved power under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution to protect their proceedings.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The provisions of this act are necessary to protect and preserve the integrity of the proceedings of the judicial branch of California government.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_16823D06-1AD9-4E2F-8306-6A34F705276E">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 43.54 of the
<ns0:DocName>Civil Code</ns0:DocName>
is repealed.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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Section 43.54 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Civil Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_9AFB0D75-2608-421D-8B41-441EEA53FBD6">
<ns0:Num>43.54.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_4E205872-F2D2-4AE7-BCEF-1CB003A59CCA">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A person shall not be subject to civil arrest while traveling to, while present at, or while traveling from a courthouse for any lawful activity. It shall be presumed that persons are traveling to, engaging in, or traveling from, lawful activity while present at a courthouse.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section does not narrow or in any way lessen any existing common law privilege.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section does not apply to arrests made pursuant to a valid judicial warrant.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A court may issue appropriate judicial orders to protect the privilege from civil arrest under this section or common law, in addition to the powers available
pursuant to Section 177 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Attorney General may bring a civil action in the name of the people of the State of California to obtain appropriate equitable and declaratory relief if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of this section has occurred or is imminent.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A person who has been subject to civil arrest in violation of this section or the common law privilege protecting persons from civil arrest while at, or coming to or from, a courthouse may bring a civil action for appropriate equitable and declaratory relief and shall be entitled to civil damages for violation of the privilege from civil arrest, including actual damages and statutory damages of $10,000.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A party in a successful action to enforce liability for
a violation of this section may recover court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Arrest” means a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, its officers, or any other government entity taking an individual into custody.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Civil arrest” means a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, its officers, or any other government entity taking an individual into custody for an alleged violation of civil law.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Court proceeding” means the business conducted by a state court or a matter pending under the jurisdiction or supervision of a state court.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Courthouse” means any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Court facilities as described in Section 70301 of the Government Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any sidewalk, parkway, or street surrounding the court facilities and its premises.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any public way within one thousand feet of the court facilities including a sidewalk, parkway, or street.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Lawful activity” means any activity lawfully permitted at a courthouse, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Observation of, attendance at, or involvement in court proceedings.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any activities related to one’s employment at a courthouse.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Accompanying, supporting, or
transporting a person to proceedings or business at a courthouse.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The exercise of any constitutional rights at a courthouse.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Otherwise being lawfully present at a courthouse.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_AA994D44-B247-44CB-BE39-B76ADEFAF0A8">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 4.</ns0:Num>
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Section 43.541 is added to the
<ns0:DocName>Civil Code</ns0:DocName>
,
<ns0:Positioning>immediately following Section 43.54</ns0:Positioning>
, to read:
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<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_CC2BC473-263D-44F8-BE31-6A1B11808454">
<ns0:Num>43.541.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_655B7EB8-56B5-4FA1-86B7-06C4E1E5DDB1">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In order to maintain access to the court and open judicial proceedings for all persons, to prevent interference with the needs of judicial administration, and consistent with the powers specified in Section 177 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the Judicial Council shall promulgate necessary rules to ensure all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any representative of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency who, while acting in an official capacity, enters a courthouse intending to arrest an individual shall comply with both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Identify themselves to uniformed court personnel and state their specific law enforcement purpose and the intended enforcement action
to be taken.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Provide court personnel with a copy of a valid judicial warrant concerning the intended enforcement action to be taken.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If there is an attorney representing a person named in the warrant in any capacity, that attorney shall have the right to review the warrant.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Requiring courts to maintain data regarding activities undertaken by law enforcement personnel at courthouses and provide that data to the Judicial Council.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Judicial Council shall annually prepare a report compiling statistics, aggregated by county, including incidents of local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies engaging in law enforcement activity of any kind at courthouses, including, but not limited to, the number and type of
judicial warrants provided to court personnel before effectuating an arrest and the date and specific location of arrests.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Judicial Council shall publicly post the report described in paragraph (1) on its public internet website and on the California Courts Judicial Branch of California internet website.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of this section, “courthouse” shall have the same meaning as in Section 43.54.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 5.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.</html:p>
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