SB 1015 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Crimes: minors.

Summary

Existing law makes every person who contacts or communicates with a minor, or attempts to contact or communicate with a minor, as specified, with intent to commit certain offenses, including any lewd or lascivious act, involving the minor, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, as provided. This bill would make any adult person who recruits, induces, coerces, or persuades a minor to commit an illegal act against another minor, or to solicit physical harm, sexual conduct, or images of an intimate body part, from another minor, or who utilizes a minor as a conduit of communication to facilitate any such acts guilty of a crime punishable either as a misdemeanor or a felony. By creating a new crime, the 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.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 10, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/09/26 - Amended Senate → 06/24/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Jun 24, 2026

MODERATE

The Assembly amended SB 1015 in two substantive ways: it narrowed the new crime in Section 288.6 from a straight felony (state prison, 2/4/6 years) to a wobbler punishable as either a misdemeanor or felony, and limited it to adult perpetrators only; and it removed 'cause any physical harm' from the exception to the minor extortion exemption in Section 518, meaning minors who coerce other minors into physical harm (but not sexual conduct or image sharing) would no longer be subject to prosecution under that provision.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed in two directions: the new adult-conduit crime now applies only to adults and carries a lower maximum penalty, and the minor extortion exception no longer covers coercion for physical harm, effectively decriminalizing that specific scenario for minors.

SCOPE

Section 288.6 changed from 'any person' to 'any adult person,' excluding minors from being charged under the new conduit-of-communication crime.

Section 518(c)(2)(A) removed 'cause any physical harm' from the list of conduct that removes the minor exemption from the extortion statute. Previously, a minor who coerced another minor to cause physical harm would lose the exemption; now only coercion for sexual conduct or intimate images triggers prosecution.

ENFORCEMENT

The penalty for Section 288.6 was reduced from a straight felony (state prison for two, four, or six years) to a wobbler punishable by county jail for one year, a fine of $1,000, both, or per subdivision (h) of Section 1170.

DEFINITION

Section 518(b) changed the cross-reference for 'sexual conduct' from 'subdivision (b) of Section 311.3' to simply 'Section 311.3,' broadening which definition applies.

TECHNICAL

The bill title description contains a drafting error duplicating 'to add Section 288.6 to the Penal Code.' An empty 'SEC. 4.' appears before what was previously Section 4 (reimbursement), likely a numbering artifact from the amendment process.

02/10/26 - Introduced → 04/09/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Apr 9, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendment adds an entirely new crime (Penal Code Section 288.6) targeting adults who use minors as conduits to solicit harm, sexual conduct, or intimate images from other minors, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. It also restructures the extortion provision (Section 518) to add a mandatory referral to services for minors who coerce other minors, and adds a definition of artificial intelligence. The changes significantly expand the bill's scope from merely narrowing an existing exemption to creating a brand-new offense with its own penalty structure.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded substantially. The introduced version only narrowed an existing exemption from the extortion statute for minors who coerce other minors. The amended version adds a completely new standalone crime (Section 288.6) targeting adult-on-minor exploitation through minor conduits, and adds a mandatory services referral mechanism to the extortion provision.

SCOPE

New Penal Code Section 288.6 creates a crime for any adult who, via any method of communication, recruits, induces, coerces, or persuades a minor to commit an illegal act against another minor, solicit physical harm, sexual conduct, or intimate images from another minor, or uses a minor as a conduit of communication. Punishable as a misdemeanor (up to one year in county jail and/or $1,000 fine) or a felony under Section 1170(h).

DEFINITION

New definitions added for 'conduit of communication' (a minor whose digital identity or physical presence is used as a medium to transmit, relay, or facilitate delivery of communications to another minor), 'intimate body part,' and 'sexual conduct.'

New definition of 'artificial intelligence' added to Section 518(c)(2)(C), incorporating the meaning from Section 311, clarifying how AI-generated images fit within the extortion exception.

ENFORCEMENT

Section 518(c)(2) restructured: when the minor-coercion exception applies, the offender is now mandatorily referred to services under Section 654 of the Welfare and Institutions Code if eligible, or punished as a misdemeanor if ineligible. This adds a treatment-oriented disposition pathway that was not in the introduced version.

TECHNICAL

Gender-neutral language change in Section 518(a): 'his or her' replaced with 'their.' A duplicated phrase ('engage in any sexual conduct') appears in the amended text of Section 518(c)(2)(A), likely a drafting error.

Floor votes · Senate May 22, 2026

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

May 22, 2026

D Democratic30

25 Yea 5

83% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

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

Lower · Passed

August 13 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

lower

Jun 25, 2026

Committee

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

lower

Jun 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.

lower

Jun 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 23).

lower

Jun 1, 2026

Committee

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

lower

May 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 0. Page 4418.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4261.) (May 14).

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 3759.) (April 7).

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Introduced

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

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors