California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill
AB 1134: Coerced marriage.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
AB 1134 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 20, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Coerced marriage. Primary sponsor: Jasmeet Bains (D). It lists 1 additional sponsor. Most recent recorded action (October 11, 2025): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 633, Statutes of 2025.
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.
(1)Existing law makes it a crime for a person to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry that person, to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.
This bill would eliminate the crime of compelling a person to be defiled. The bill would specify that the crime of compelling a person to marry shall be applied equally regardless of the age of the victim of a forced marriage at the time of the forced marriage.
(2)Existing law provides that a marriage is voidable and may be adjudged a nullity if certain conditions existed at the time of the marriage, including, among others, the party commencing the proceeding was under the age of consent, either party was of unsound mind, the consent of either party was obtained by fraud or by force, or either party was, at the marriage, physically incapable of entering into the marriage state, and that incapacity continues, and appears to be incurable. Existing law requires a proceeding to obtain a judgment of nullity of marriage for the causes described above to be commenced by specified parties within specified periods, including, among others, by the party whose consent was obtained by fraud or by force, within 4 years after the marriage.
This bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, authorize a court to grant permission, upon a showing of good cause, for a party to proceed with a petition for nullity of marriage that is filed beyond the relevant filing period if the party’s consent to the marriage was obtained by force. The bill would require the Judicial Council to modify or develop the forms necessary to implement those provisions.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmeet Bains | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 35 |
| Ash Kalra | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 25 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 633, Statutes of 2025.
- Approved by the Governor.
- Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
- In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2523.).
- Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
- In committee: Referred to suspense file.
- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
- Referred to Coms. on JUD. and PUB. S.