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AB-2683 • 2026

Crimes: child endangerment.

Crimes: child endangerment.

Children Crime Education Firearms
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Ransom
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on the additional jail time imposed in cases of murder with another minor present.

Crimes: child endangerment

AB-2683 makes it illegal for adults to recruit minors to commit felonies and imposes additional prison time for those who murder a minor in the presence of another minor.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it against the law for an adult to ask or encourage a minor (someone under 18) to do something that is a felony crime, punishable as child endangerment with an enhancement sentence of 2, 4, or 6 years in state prison.
  • Adds more jail time if someone commits murder and there was another minor present when the murder happened.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Adults who might ask or encourage minors to do illegal things
  • People who commit murder in places where other minors are around

Terms To Know

Felony
A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence.
Sentence Enhancement
Additional time added to the base sentence for committing an offense under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much additional jail time is imposed if someone commits murder in a location where another minor was present.
  • It's unclear whether this legislation will change local agency and school district funding or management practices.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2026-05-06 California Legislative Information

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

  3. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  5. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 14).

  6. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  7. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

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

  8. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  9. 2026-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  10. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2683, as amended, Ransom.
Crimes: child endangerment.
Existing law makes it unlawful, under circumstances or conditions likely to produce great bodily harm or death, to willfully cause or permit a child to suffer, or to inflict thereon unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or, having the care or custody of a child, to willfully cause or permit the person or health of that child to be injured, or to willfully cause or permit that child to be placed in a situation where their person or health may be endangered and a violation of these provisions punishable as a misdemeanor or felony.
This bill would make any adult who solicits or recruits a minor to commit a felony guilty of child endangerment pursuant to the provisions above and would, in addition and consecutive to any other punishment, make a violation punishable as a sentence enhancement in the state prison for 2, 4, or 6 years. By
creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law defines murder as the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, except as specified, with malice aforethought. Existing law punishes a person guilty of first-degree murder by death, imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole, or imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 25 years to life, and of 2nd-degree murder by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 15 years to life. Existing law requires a person who personally uses a firearm to commit, among other certain specified felonies, murder to be punished by an additional and
consecutive term of imprisonment in the state prison for 25 years to life if the person discharged the firearm and proximately caused great bodily injury or death.
This bill would impose a sentence enchantment for murder, consisting of an additional and consecutive term of imprisonment in the state prison of an unspecified period of time, if the murder victim is a minor and the murder occurred in a location where at least one other minor was present. The bill would make the enhancement extend the date of parole eligibility for a person who has been given an indeterminate sentence. By creating a new sentence enhancement, 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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Download Bill PDF