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SB-221 • 2026

Crimes: stalking.

Crimes: stalking.

Crime Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Ochoa Bogh
Last action
2025-10-10
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 576, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify the exact penalties for violating the expanded definition of 'credible threat'.

Expanding Stalking Laws to Include Threats Against Pets and Animals

The law expands the definition of 'credible threat' in stalking laws to include threats against a person's pets, service animals, emotional support animals, or horses.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'credible threat' in stalking laws to include threats against a person’s pets, service animals, emotional support animals, and horses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are stalked
  • Pet owners and those with service or emotional support animals

Terms To Know

Credible threat
A serious warning that someone might hurt another person, their family, or now also their pets and animals.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify the exact penalties for violating this new law.
  • The effective date of when this law starts is not provided in the source material.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 576, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-16 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2599.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 2871.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  9. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  10. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

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

  11. 2025-07-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 15).

  12. 2025-07-01 California Legislative Information

    July 1 hearing postponed by committee.

  13. 2025-06-17 California Legislative Information

    June 17 hearing postponed by committee.

  14. 2025-06-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  15. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  16. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1390.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  17. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  18. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1192.) (May 23).

  19. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  20. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  21. 2025-04-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  22. 2025-04-01 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 611.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  23. 2025-03-19 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 1.

  24. 2025-03-18 California Legislative Information

    March 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  25. 2025-03-07 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing March 25.

  26. 2025-02-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  27. 2025-01-24 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 23.

  28. 2025-01-23 California Legislative Information

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

Official Summary Text

SB 221, Ochoa Bogh.
Crimes: stalking.
Existing law makes a person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or willfully and maliciously harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for the person’s safety, or the safety of the person’s immediate family, guilty of the crime of stalking, punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony.
This bill would expand the meaning of “credible threat” to
include threats to a person’s pet, service animal, emotional support animal, or horse. By changing the definition of a crime, this 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