AB-2393 • 2026

False imprisonment: false arrest: remedies.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Addis
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on which specific parties are exempted.

False Imprisonment and False Arrest: Damages

The bill allows people who win a case about false imprisonment or false arrest to choose between getting actual damages or $10,000 for each specific bad act by the person who caused it, with a total limit of $250,000 per incident.

What This Bill Does

Allows someone who wins a lawsuit about false imprisonment or false arrest to pick between getting real damages or $10,000 for each specific bad act that happened.
Limits the total amount a person can get from this choice to $250,000 per incident of false imprisonment or false arrest.
Makes people who caused false imprisonment or false arrest responsible together for paying these amounts.

Who It Names or Affects

People who win lawsuits about false imprisonment or false arrest
Defendants in such lawsuits

Terms To Know

Prevailing plaintiff: A person who wins a lawsuit and is entitled to receive something from the other side.
Jointly and severally liable: When two or more people are responsible together for paying damages, but each one can be made to pay all of it if necessary.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify which parties are exempt from the rules.
It is unclear how this will affect existing laws about false imprisonment and false arrest.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (April 22).
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 2.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-17 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2026-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2393, as amended, Addis.
Damages for breach of contract.
False imprisonment: false arrest: remedies.
Existing law prohibits false imprisonment, defined as the unlawful violation of the personal liberty of another. Existing law provides that the measure of damages for the breach of an obligation not arising from a contract is the amount that will compensate for all the detriment proximately caused thereby, whether it could have been anticipated or not, except as expressly provided otherwise.
This bill would authorize a prevailing plaintiff in an action based on false imprisonment or false arrest to elect to receive, in lieu of actual damages, $10,000 for each of specified acts committed by the defendant in the perpetration of the false imprisonment or false arrest, as specified. The bill would make defendants liable for the amounts described above for an
incident of false imprisonment or false arrest jointly and severally liable and would limit the aggregate award to a person under the above provisions to $250,000 per incident of false imprisonment or false arrest. The bill would exempt causes of action brought against specified parties from the above provisions. The bill would make related findings and declarations and would make its provisions severable.
Existing law prohibits damages that are not clearly ascertainable in both their nature and origin from being recovered for a breach of contract.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF