AB 1544 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Court proceedings: media access.

Summary

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.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Last action Aug 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/24/26 - Enrolled → AB1544

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The diff reflects only differences in presentation format: the 'from' version is a formal enrolled bill document with page numbers, signature blocks, and legislative formatting, while the 'to' version is a web-based display of the same enrolled text with website navigation elements. The actual statutory language of Section 124 of the Code of Civil Procedure is identical in both versions.

03/17/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/09/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Apr 9, 2026

MODERATE

The April 9 amendment significantly narrowed the bill by removing the entire amendment to Penal Code Section 409.7, which had protected press access at protests and demonstrations where police closed areas around command posts. The bill now focuses solely on court access under Code of Civil Procedure Section 124. Within that remaining provision, the scope of protected persons was expanded to include 'a member of the press or public' beyond just authorized representatives of news organizations, and a broader exception was added allowing courts to restrict access under any applicable statute or rule, not just Section 128.

SCOPE

The entire amendment to Penal Code Section 409.7 was deleted. That provision had guaranteed press access at demonstrations, marches, protests, and rallies where police established closed areas around command posts, and had prohibited officers from assaulting or obstructing journalists in those settings.

The bill's stated purpose was narrowed from amending both Penal Code Section 409.7 and Code of Civil Procedure Section 124 to amending only Section 124 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

ELIGIBILITY

The category of protected persons in the court access provision was expanded from 'a duly authorized representative of a news service, online news service, newspaper, radio or television station, network, news publisher, or court observer' to also include 'a member of the press or public,' broadening who is covered beyond formally authorized representatives.

REQUIREMENT

The exception allowing courts to restrict access was broadened from 'except as necessary for the court to maintain order and manage proceedings pursuant to Section 128' to 'except as necessary for the court to maintain order and manage proceedings pursuant to Section 128 or any other applicable statute or rule of court,' giving courts a wider basis to limit access.

TECHNICAL

A new subdivision (d) was added stating that nothing in the section shall be construed to limit, restrict, or reduce any right of access provided by law, serving as a savings clause to preserve existing access rights.

01/05/26 - Introduced → 03/17/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Mar 17, 2026

MODERATE

The amended version significantly expands the bill by adding a new provision amending Code of Civil Procedure Section 124, which establishes that courts must remain physically open to the public even when remote access is available, requires courts to provide audio or telephonic access when physically closed, and broadens media access protections to include news publishers and court observers. The original bill only addressed media access at demonstrations under Penal Code 409.7; the amendment adds a comprehensive framework for public access to court proceedings.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely addressing media access at demonstrations and protests (Penal Code 409.7) to also establishing broad public access rights to court proceedings (Code of Civil Procedure Section 124), including requirements for physical and remote access to courts.

SCOPE

New Section 1 amends Code of Civil Procedure Section 124, adding a requirement that courts cannot exclude the public from physical access merely because remote access is available, unless necessary to protect health or safety.

REQUIREMENT

When a courthouse is physically closed, the court must provide at minimum a public audio stream or telephonic means to listen to proceedings, except for proceedings that are legally required to be closed.

A new exception allows courts to restrict access as necessary to maintain order and manage proceedings pursuant to Section 128 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

ELIGIBILITY

The protected categories of people who cannot be barred from court proceedings are expanded to include 'news publisher' and 'court observer' in addition to the previously listed news services, online news services, newspapers, and radio/TV stations or networks.

ENFORCEMENT

In the new Code of Civil Procedure provision, civil penalties for violations 'may be subject to' an action under Section 52.1 of the Civil Code, using softer language than the original bill's 'shall be subject to' in Penal Code 409.7.

TECHNICAL

Minor grammatical corrections throughout Penal Code 409.7, changing 'any a news service' to 'a news service' in multiple instances.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 20, 2026 · Assembly May 7, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Aug 20, 2026

D Democratic30

28 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican10

9 Yea 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Aug 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0.).

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

upper

Jun 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

May 20, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on JUD.

upper

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes . Page 4961.)

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 22).

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 7).

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and JUD.

lower

Jan 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee February 5.

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors