California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 646 — Civil law: personal rights: online sex trafficking: sexual photographs.

Last action — August 15 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law grants a cause of action to a depicted individual, as defined, against a person who either (1) creates and intentionally discloses sexually explicit material if the person knows or reasonably should have known the depicted individual did not consent to its creation or disclosure or (2) intentionally discloses sexually explicit material that the person did not create if the person knows the depicted individual did not consent to its creation. Existing law also specifies that a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil action for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combination of those, or any other appropriate relief. Existing federal law grants a cause of action to a person who, while a minor, was a victim of a violation of specified federal crimes and who suffers personal injury as a result of such violation, regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor. This bill would allow a person who is depicted in certain sexual images when the person was less than 18 years of age to bring a civil action for specified damages and relief against a person or entity that distributes that material, as specified. The bill would require, in addition to any other damages awarded to a prevailing plaintiff, statutory damages of $200,000 to be paid by the defendant for failing to cease distribution of the material within 2 business days after notice of claimed infringement of these provisions was received by the defendant. The bill would require the operator of an online service or internet website that is available in California to list an agent for notification of claimed violation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would also require the operator to create a method to contact that agent for the purpose of reporting the erroneous removal of content, as specified. The bill would further require the operator to destroy material subject to these provisions if the operator has confirmed that any investigation related to that material has been completed. The bill would state that its provisions are severable.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 15 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. September 1 hearing postponed by committee.

  3. August 16 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

  4. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  5. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 20).

  6. Referred to Com. on JUD.

  7. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  8. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 1219.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1178.) (May 18).

  11. Set for hearing May 18.

  12. May 8 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  13. Set for hearing May 8.

  14. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0. Page 895.) (April 25).

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  17. Set for hearing April 25.

  18. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  19. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  20. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  21. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 19.

  22. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

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

Passed 10 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1001
Democratic 7000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 10001
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Essayli — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

3rd Reading

Passed 39 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 22000
Republican 6001
Total 39001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Not Voting
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 2000
Democratic 8000
Republican 1000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 646 do?
Existing law grants a cause of action to a depicted individual, as defined, against a person who either (1) creates and intentionally discloses sexually explicit material if the person knows or reasonably should have known the depicted individual did not consent to its creation or disclosure or (2) intentionally discloses sexually explicit material that the person did not create if the person knows the depicted individual did not consent to its creation. Existing law also specifies that a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil action for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combination of those, or any other appropriate relief. Existing federal law grants a cause of action to a person who, while a minor, was a victim of a violation of specified federal crimes and who suffers personal injury as a result of such violation, regardless of whether the injury occurred while such person was a minor. This bill would allow a person who is depicted in certain sexual images when the person was less than 18 years of age to bring a civil action for specified damages and relief against a person or entity that distributes that material, as specified. The bill would require, in addition to any other damages awarded to a prevailing plaintiff, statutory damages of $200,000 to be paid by the defendant for failing to cease distribution of the material within 2 business days after notice of claimed infringement of these provisions was received by the defendant. The bill would require the operator of an online service or internet website that is available in California to list an agent for notification of claimed violation of these provisions, as specified. The bill would also require the operator to create a method to contact that agent for the purpose of reporting the erroneous removal of content, as specified. The bill would further require the operator to destroy material subject to these provisions if the operator has confirmed that any investigation related to that material has been completed. The bill would state that its provisions are severable.
Who sponsors SB 646?
SB 646 is sponsored by Cortese, Dave (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 646?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 646?
Track SB 646 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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