AB 2104 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Sexually violent predators.

Summary

Existing law provides for the civil commitment of a person who is determined to be a sexually violent predator. Existing law establishes a procedure by which a person committed as a sexually violent predator may petition for conditional release and requires the court, if it makes a specified determination, to place the person on conditional release. This bill would require a court presiding over any proceeding held pursuant to the above-described provisions that is open to the public to provide the public with a remote access option that allows members of the public to remotely observe the proceeding. The bill would require a court to make the audio of a proceeding accessible to the public if a court is unable to provide a remote access option that includes video due to technological limitations, as defined, that are not reasonably within the control of the court. On and after January 1, 2028, the bill would require a court to provide a remote access option with a visual feed.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 18, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

06/25/26 - Amended Senate → AB2104 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The bill text, digest, and all provisions are identical. The only differences are formatting and presentation: the document was reformatted from a traditional legislative print layout (with line numbers and centered headers) to a web page format that includes navigation menus, search fields, and site-level elements such as 'skip to content,' 'accessibility,' and 'FAQ.'

TECHNICAL

The bill was reformatted from a traditional legislative document layout (with line numbers, centered headers, and page markers) into a web page format that includes site navigation, search tools, and display elements. No changes were made to the actual statutory language, digest, or any policy provisions.

03/09/26 - Amended Assembly → 06/25/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Jun 25, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate version removed the Assembly's amendment to Section 6600 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (which made technical, nonsubstantive changes to definitions related to sexually violent predators) and significantly expanded the new Section 6600.2 on remote access to court proceedings. The expanded section adds a phased implementation requirement: courts that cannot provide video due to technological limitations must at minimum make audio accessible, with a hard deadline of January 1, 2028 for all courts to provide a visual feed. It also adds clarifying language that the section does not override existing rules about which proceedings are public.

SCOPE

The entire amendment to Section 6600 of the Welfare and Institutions Code was dropped. The Assembly version had included technical, nonsubstantive edits to definitions of 'sexually violent predator,' 'sexually violent offense,' 'diagnosed mental disorder,' 'danger to the health and safety of others,' 'predatory,' 'recent overt act,' and related terms. None of those changes survive in the Senate version.

New subdivision (b) clarifies that Section 6600.2 does not make a hearing open to the public that would not otherwise be open, and does not interfere with a court's ability to determine whether or when a proceeding is public.

REQUIREMENT

New phased implementation requirement: if a court cannot provide video remote access due to technological limitations not reasonably within its control, it must make audio of the proceeding accessible to the public. On and after January 1, 2028, all courts must provide a remote access option with a visual feed.

DEFINITION

New subdivision (c) defines 'technological limitations' as a lack of video cameras, microphones, or streaming capability.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires fiscal committee review, likely due to the new implementation costs associated with the phased video/audio requirements.

Floor votes · Assembly May 21, 2026

How they voted

69–0

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 79

May 21, 2026

D Democratic59

53 Yea 6

89% Yea

R Republican20

16 Yea 4

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jun 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jun 24, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 23).

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

May 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 70. Noes 0. Page 5221.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors