Bill Commons

CA AB 1739

in committee

Crimes: sexual exploitation: clergy.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

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Quick answers

Did CA AB 1739 pass?

Not yet. CA AB 1739 is in committee and has not come to a final vote. Latest recorded action (2026-05-14): In committee: Held under submission.

What is CA AB 1739 about?

Existing law prohibits the touching of an intimate part, as defined, of another person if the touching is against the will of the person touched and is for the specific purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse. Existing law makes a physician and surgeon, psychotherapist, or alcohol and drug abuse counselor who engages in specified sexual acts or sexual contact with a patient or client guilty of sexual exploitation and makes a violation of those provisions a crime, except as specified, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. This bill would make a member of the clergy, as defined, who engages in specified sexual acts or contact with a current or former patient, client, or member of the congregation, as specified, guilty of sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy. The bill would specify that consent is not a defense to a violation of that provision and would make the crime punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Who sponsors CA AB 1739?

Ward is the primary sponsor of CA AB 1739, joined by 3 cosponsors.

Description

Existing law prohibits the touching of an intimate part, as defined, of another person if the touching is against the will of the person touched and is for the specific purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse. Existing law makes a physician and surgeon, psychotherapist, or alcohol and drug abuse counselor who engages in specified sexual acts or sexual contact with a patient or client guilty of sexual exploitation and makes a violation of those provisions a crime, except as specified, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. This bill would make a member of the clergy, as defined, who engages in specified sexual acts or contact with a current or former patient, client, or member of the congregation, as specified, guilty of sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy. The bill would specify that consent is not a defense to a violation of that provision and would make the crime punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Introduced
2026-03-09
Latest action
2026-05-14 — In committee: Held under submission.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Wardauthor
  • Addiscoauthor
  • Lowenthalcoauthor
  • Pellerincoauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-05-14

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2026-05-06

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-04-23

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-04-22

    Read second time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  5. 2026-04-21

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 2.) (April 21).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee

  6. 2026-04-20

    Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.

    referral-committee

  7. 2026-04-16

    Read second time and amended.

    amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2

  8. 2026-04-15

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. (Ayes 7. Noes 1.) (April 14).

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee

  9. 2026-04-07

    In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  10. 2026-03-24

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  11. 2026-03-10

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

    referral-committee

  12. 2026-03-09

    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

  13. 2026-03-09

    Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and B. & P.

    referral-committee

  14. 2026-02-06

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.

  15. 2026-02-05

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

Versions

  • 02/05/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-05Compare
  • 03/09/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-03-09Compare
  • 04/16/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-04-16Compare
  • 04/22/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-04-22Compare
  • AB1739Compare
  • (document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

  • Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Business and Professions]

    2026-04-14 · pass · 7-1

    Member-level votes (9)
    • Mark González: yes
    • Harabedian: yes
    • Ramos: yes
    • Sharp-Collins: yes
    • Schultz: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Alanis: no
    • Lackey: other

  • Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

    2026-04-21 · pass · 13-2

    Member-level votes (19)
    • Lowenthal: yes
    • Bauer-Kahan: yes
    • Berman: yes
    • Irwin: yes
    • Pellerin: yes
    • Ahrens: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Haney: yes
    • Hart: yes
    • Bains: yes
    • Elhawary: yes
    • Addis: yes
    • Jackson: yes
    • Alanis: no
    • Hadwick: no
    • Macedo: other
    • Caloza: other
    • Chen: other
    • Johnson: other

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1739

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

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