CA AB 1544
enactedCourt proceedings: media access.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did CA AB 1544 pass?
Yes. CA AB 1544 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-27): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 520, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA AB 1544 about?
The California Constitution vests the judicial power of the state in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts. Existing law requires the sittings of every court to be public, except as authorized. This bill would bar a judicial officer, peace officer, or other law enforcement officer from prohibiting a member of the press or public from accessing court proceedings that are open to the public. The bill would authorize a violation of that provision to be subject to civil penalties, as specified.
Who sponsors CA AB 1544?
Krell is the primary sponsor of CA AB 1544, joined by 2 cosponsors.
Description
The California Constitution vests the judicial power of the state in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts. Existing law requires the sittings of every court to be public, except as authorized. This bill would bar a judicial officer, peace officer, or other law enforcement officer from prohibiting a member of the press or public from accessing court proceedings that are open to the public. The bill would authorize a violation of that provision to be subject to civil penalties, as specified.
- Introduced
- 2026-03-17
- Latest action
- 2026-09-27 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 520, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Krellauthor
- Mark Gonzálezcoauthor
- Quirk-Silvacoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-27
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 520, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-09-27
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-08-27
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2026-08-20
In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
committee-passage
2026-08-20
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0.).
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-20
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 5580.).
2026-08-04
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-03
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-06-24
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-05-20
Referred to Com. on JUD.
referral-committee
2026-05-07
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2026-05-07
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes . Page 4961.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-07
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 4961.)
2026-04-23
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-04-22
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 22).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-04-13
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
referral-committee
2026-04-09
Read second time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-04-08
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 7).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee
2026-03-19
Re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
referral-committee
2026-03-18
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
referral-committee
2026-03-18
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2026-03-17
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-02-17
Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.
referral-committee
2026-01-06
From printer. May be heard in committee February 5.
2026-01-05
Read first time. To print.
reading-1
Versions
Documents
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Votes
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-07 · pass · 12-0
Member-level votes (12)
- Macedo: yes
- Papan: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Lee: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Bryan: yes
Do pass.
2026-04-22 · pass · 13-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Dixon: yes
- Fong: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Ta: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Krell: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Solache: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Muratsuchi: other
- Calderon: other
AB 1544 Krell Assembly Third Reading
2026-05-07 · pass · 69-0
Member-level votes (80)
- Fong: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Patel: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Lee: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Gallagher: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Davies: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Haney: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Addis: yes
- Bains: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Papan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Ward: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Berman: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Krell: yes
- Ta: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Soria: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Solache: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Hoover: other
- Wicks: other
- Chen: other
- Bonta: other
- Hart: other
- Celeste Rodriguez: other
- Valencia: other
- Arambula: other
- Wallis: other
- Petrie-Norris: other
- Flora: other
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-06-23 · pass · 13-0
Member-level votes (13)
- Ashby: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Stern: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Laird: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Allen: yes
- Niello: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-30T17:58:38.519960Z
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