CA SB 1208
enrolledMoney laundering: digital assets.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did CA SB 1208 pass?
Not yet law. CA SB 1208 has passed both chambers and is enrolled, awaiting executive action (signature or veto) as of 2026-08-28. Latest recorded action (2026-09-04): Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
What is CA SB 1208 about?
Existing law makes it a crime to engage in money laundering, defined as conducting a transaction involving a monetary instrument of specified value through a financial institution with the specific intent to promote or facilitate criminal activity or knowing that the monetary instrument represents the proceeds of or is derived from the proceeds of criminal activity. Existing law establishes the Restitution Fund, a continuously appropriated fund in the State Treasury, to provide funding to compensate victims of crime. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, expand the crime of money laundering to include conducting a transaction involving a monetary instrument of specified value using digital assets, as defined. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes, as provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, the California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act, establishes a procedure for the forfeiture of property and proceeds acquired through a pattern of criminal profiteering activity, as defined, upon the conviction of the underlying criminal offense, including money laundering, and requires the prosecuting agency to file a petition of forfeiture in conjunction with certain criminal proceedings. Existing law authorizes any person claiming an interest in property or proceeds subject to forfeiture to file with the superior court in which the forfeiture action is pending a verified claim stating their interest in the property or proceeds, as specified. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, authorize a law enforcement officer or prosecuting agency, as defined, to obtain a search warrant to seize digital assets or wallets, accounts, or similar things containing digital assets (collectively "digital assets") upon a showing of probable cause that the digital assets contain proceeds of a crime or proceeds traceable to a crime or have been used to facilitate a crime. The bill would require the search warrant to specify any centralized exchanges, custodians of digital assets, addresses, or other locations from which the digital assets will be seized, to describe how the warrant will be served, and to specify the amount of digital assets to be seized, as specified. The bill would authorize, within 180 days of any seizure, a prosecuting agency to initiate a special proceeding to forfeit the seized digital assets, including providing notice to all readily ascertainable potential owners of the digital assets and anyone with a known security interest. The bill would require any person with a claim to the seized digital assets to file a verified claim under penalty of perjury and supported by admissible evidence within 30 days of the date of service of the notice from the prosecuting agency, as specified. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide a process for a court to adjudicate and resolve these verified claims, as specified. The bill would require the court, after all the claims are resolved, to issue a final judgment forfeiting the remaining digital assets and would provide a process for a prosecuting agency to distribute the remaining digital assets to victims, as specified. The bill would require any digital assets not distributed to victims to be kept in the custody of law enforcement or prosecuting agency for a maximum of 3 years, after which the forfeited assets would be deposited into the Restitution Fund for the purpose of providing victim services. By expanding the revenue sources of a continuously appropriated fund, and by expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. 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 SB 1208?
Grayson is the primary sponsor of CA SB 1208.
Description
Existing law makes it a crime to engage in money laundering, defined as conducting a transaction involving a monetary instrument of specified value through a financial institution with the specific intent to promote or facilitate criminal activity or knowing that the monetary instrument represents the proceeds of or is derived from the proceeds of criminal activity. Existing law establishes the Restitution Fund, a continuously appropriated fund in the State Treasury, to provide funding to compensate victims of crime. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, expand the crime of money laundering to include conducting a transaction involving a monetary instrument of specified value using digital assets, as defined. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes, as provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law, the California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act, establishes a procedure for the forfeiture of property and proceeds acquired through a pattern of criminal profiteering activity, as defined, upon the conviction of the underlying criminal offense, including money laundering, and requires the prosecuting agency to file a petition of forfeiture in conjunction with certain criminal proceedings. Existing law authorizes any person claiming an interest in property or proceeds subject to forfeiture to file with the superior court in which the forfeiture action is pending a verified claim stating their interest in the property or proceeds, as specified. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, authorize a law enforcement officer or prosecuting agency, as defined, to obtain a search warrant to seize digital assets or wallets, accounts, or similar things containing digital assets (collectively "digital assets") upon a showing of probable cause that the digital assets contain proceeds of a crime or proceeds traceable to a crime or have been used to facilitate a crime. The bill would require the search warrant to specify any centralized exchanges, custodians of digital assets, addresses, or other locations from which the digital assets will be seized, to describe how the warrant will be served, and to specify the amount of digital assets to be seized, as specified. The bill would authorize, within 180 days of any seizure, a prosecuting agency to initiate a special proceeding to forfeit the seized digital assets, including providing notice to all readily ascertainable potential owners of the digital assets and anyone with a known security interest. The bill would require any person with a claim to the seized digital assets to file a verified claim under penalty of perjury and supported by admissible evidence within 30 days of the date of service of the notice from the prosecuting agency, as specified. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide a process for a court to adjudicate and resolve these verified claims, as specified. The bill would require the court, after all the claims are resolved, to issue a final judgment forfeiting the remaining digital assets and would provide a process for a prosecuting agency to distribute the remaining digital assets to victims, as specified. The bill would require any digital assets not distributed to victims to be kept in the custody of law enforcement or prosecuting agency for a maximum of 3 years, after which the forfeited assets would be deposited into the Restitution Fund for the purpose of providing victim services. By expanding the revenue sources of a continuously appropriated fund, and by expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. 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
- 2026-02-19
- Latest action
- 2026-09-04 — Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
- Bill type
- bill,appropriation
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Graysonauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-02-19
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,reading-1,referral-committee
2026-02-20
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
2026-03-04
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
referral-committee
2026-03-23
Set for hearing April 7.
2026-03-26
April 7 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-27
Set for hearing April 14.
2026-04-06
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-04-07
April 14 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-04-08
Set for hearing April 21.
2026-04-22
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 3983.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-04-24
Set for hearing May 4.
2026-05-04
May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-05-08
Set for hearing May 14.
2026-05-14
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4269.) (May 14).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-05-14
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-05-18
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-05-19
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4362.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-20
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2026-05-26
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
referral-committee
2026-06-09
June 9 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-06-23
June 23 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-07-01
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 30).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-07-02
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-08-05
August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
2026-08-13
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 13).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-13
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-08-13
Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
2026-08-17
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-20
Read third time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-20
Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-25
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-25
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2026-08-27
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2026-08-28
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-09-04
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-25
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 6474.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
Versions
- 02/19/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-19Compare
- 04/06/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-04-06Compare
- 05/14/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-05-14Compare
- 07/02/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-07-02Compare
- 08/13/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-13Compare
- 08/20/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-08-20Compare
- 08/31/26 - Enrolled — 2026-08-31Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
- SB1208Compare
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Votes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-21 · pass · 6-0
Member-level votes (6)
- Arreguín: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Pérez: yes
Placed on suspense file
2026-05-04 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Dahle: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Grayson: yes
Do pass as amended
2026-05-14 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
3rd Reading
2026-05-19 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Allen: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Limón: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Becker: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Rubio: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Stern: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Choi: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Strickland: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Alvarado-Gil: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Jones: yes
- Laird: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Richardson: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Grove: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Niello: other
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-06-30 · pass · 9-0
Member-level votes (9)
- Mark González: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Haney: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Nguyen: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-06T05:41:42.863227Z
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