California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill
AB 2556: Evidence: credibility of witnesses and evidence affected or excluded by extrinsic policies.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
AB 2556 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 20, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Evidence: credibility of witnesses and evidence affected or excluded by extrinsic policies. Primary sponsor: Tasha Boerner (D). Most recent recorded action (June 30, 2026): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 50, Statutes of 2026.
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 sets forth the procedure by which, in any prosecution for rape or other specified sexual offenses, evidence of sexual conduct of the complaining witness may be offered to attack the credibility of the complaining witness. This procedure involves, among other things, the filing of a written motion by the defendant, accompanied by an affidavit filed under seal stating an offer of proof, and, if the court determines that the offer is sufficient, a hearing out of the presence of the jury regarding the offer of proof. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court may make an order stating what evidence may be introduced by the defendant. Under existing law, these procedures do not apply if the specified offenses are alleged to have occurred in a local detention facility or state prison, as defined.
This bill would remove this exception, thereby also applying these procedures to specified offenses alleged to have occurred in a local detention facility or state prison.
(2)Existing law provides that evidence of a person’s character or a trait of their character is generally inadmissible when offered to prove the person’s conduct on a specified occasion. Existing law prohibits, during the prosecution of specified sex crimes, the admission of, among other things, opinion evidence, reputation evidence, or specific instances of sexual conduct involving the victim and persons other than the defendant to prove the victim’s consent. This prohibition does not apply to specified offenses alleged to have occurred in a local detention facility or state prison, as defined.
This bill would additionally remove this exception, thereby also prohibiting the admission of such evidence in the prosecution of specified offenses alleged to have occurred in a local detention facility or state prison.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tasha Boerner | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 77 |
“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 50, Statutes of 2026.
- Approved by the Governor.
- Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11:30 a.m.
- In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 4761.).
- Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
- From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 9).
- Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
- In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 4682.)
- Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
- From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 7).