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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 1535: Hate crimes: political affiliation.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 1535 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on January 5, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Hate crimes: political affiliation. Primary sponsor: Laurie Davies (R). Most recent recorded action (May 14, 2026): In committee: Held under submission.

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.

Existing law defines “hate crime” as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of actual or perceived characteristics of the victim, including, among other things, race, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. Except as provided, existing law requires the fact that a person committed or attempted to commit a felony that is a hate crime to be considered a circumstance in aggravation of the crime in imposing a specified term.

This bill, the Hortman-Kirk Political Violence Prevention Act, in the case of any felony conviction, would authorize the court to consider as a circumstance in aggravation in sentencing the fact that the defendant’s conduct was motivated, in whole or in part, by the victim’s actual or perceived political affiliation. The bill would define “political affiliation” to mean the state of belonging to a political party, the endorsement of a political party or a platform of a political party, or the endorsement of a politician or a platform of a politician. By increasing the punishment for a crime, 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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Laurie DaviesPrimary sponsorRepublicanAssembly74

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. In committee: Held under submission.
  2. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
  3. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  4. Read second time and amended.
  5. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 3).
  6. Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
  7. From printer. May be heard in committee February 5.
  8. Read first time. To print.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page