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SB-683 • 2026

Privacy: use of a person’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness: injunctive relief.

Privacy: use of a person’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness: injunctive relief.

Privacy
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Cortese
Last action
2025-10-10
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 590, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about 'other minor updates' or specify consequences for non-compliance with a TRO beyond the requirement to comply within two business days.

Privacy: Protection Against Unauthorized Use

This law allows people whose names, voices, signatures, photographs, or likenesses are used without permission to seek court orders stopping the misuse.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows someone who has had their name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness used without permission to ask a court for an injunction (a legal order) or temporary restraining order (TRO).
  • Requires the person causing harm to follow the court's order within two business days if they are given a TRO that tells them to stop using someone else’s personal information.
  • Makes changes to existing laws about damages and liability when someone uses another person’s identity without permission.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People whose names, voices, signatures, photographs, or likenesses are used without their consent.
  • Businesses and individuals who use others' personal information for advertising or selling products without permission.
  • Courts that handle cases involving unauthorized use of personal information.

Terms To Know

Injunction
A court order telling someone to stop doing something harmful.
Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
An urgent court order that stops someone from doing something harmful until a full hearing can take place.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies if SB-11 is also enacted and this bill is passed last.
  • It does not specify what happens if the person causing harm does not follow the court's order within two business days.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 590, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-11 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2883.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 3166.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read third time and amended.

  9. 2025-07-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 2).

  11. 2025-06-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. 2025-06-18 California Legislative Information

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

  13. 2025-06-17 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 17).

  14. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on JUD., P. & C.P., and APPR.

  15. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  16. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1293.) 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 1209.) (May 23).

  19. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  20. 2025-04-28 California Legislative Information

    April 28 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  21. 2025-04-17 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 28.

  22. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

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

  23. 2025-04-09 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 706.) (April 8).

  24. 2025-04-03 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 8.

  25. 2025-04-02 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Coms. on JUD. and APPR.

  26. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  27. 2025-03-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  28. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  29. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

  30. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 683, Cortese.
Privacy: use of a person’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness: injunctive relief.
Existing law makes any person who knowingly uses another’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness in products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods, or services, without that person’s prior consent liable for damages, as specified.
This bill would provide that a party seeking relief pursuant to those provisions may also seek an injunction or temporary restraining order according to specified procedures. The bill would require the respondent to comply with the order within 2 business days from the day the order is served, unless otherwise required by the order, if the court grants the applicant a temporary restraining order without notice to the opposing party that requires the respondent to remove, recall, or otherwise cease the publication or
distribution of the petitioner’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness. The bill would make other nonsubstantive changes.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3344 of the Civil Code proposed by SB 11 to be operative only if this bill and SB 11 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF