California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Senate Bill
SB 174: Courts.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
SB 174 is a senate bill introduced in the California Senate on January 23, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Courts. Primary sponsor: Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. Most recent recorded action (June 29, 2026): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 29, 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 authorizes, until January 1, 2027, a party to appear remotely and a court to conduct conferences, hearings, proceedings, and trials in civil cases, in whole or in part, through the use of remote technology.
Under existing law, a court may require an in-person appearance under specified conditions, including if the court determines on a hearing-by-hearing basis that an in-person appearance would materially assist in the determination of the conference, hearing, or proceeding or in the effective management or resolution of the particular case. Existing law additionally authorizes, until January 1, 2027, the use of remote technology, as defined, for other types of proceedings, including, among others, proceedings regarding the involuntary treatment and conservatorship of gravely disabled persons under specified provisions, contempt proceedings, and competency proceedings.
This bill would extend these provisions to also apply to witnesses until January 1, 2032. The bill would instead authorize a court to require an-person appearance if, among other reasons, a court determines on a hearing-by-hearing basis that an in-person appearance is necessary to the determination of the conference, hearing, or proceeding or that remote attendance would materially impair the resolution of the conference, hearing, or proceeding. Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill would require courts to provide a reason for requiring an in-person appearance, as specified.
Existing law, until January 1, 2027, requires each superior court to annually report to the Judicial Council, and the Judicial Council to annually report to the Legislature, to assess the impact of technology issues or problems affecting remote proceedings.
This bill would extend these provisions until January 1, 2032.
(2)Existing law generally allows, until January 1, 2027, upon a defendant’s waiver of the right to be physically present, criminal proceedings to be conducted through the use of remote technology, except as specified.
Sponsors
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review | Primary sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | Senate | — |
“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 29, Statutes of 2026.
- Approved by the Governor.
- Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
- Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 5068.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
- Unanimous consent granted to take up without reference to file.
- In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 5895.) Ordered to the Senate.
- Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 53. Noes 14. Page 5891.)
- Withdrawn from committee pursuant to Asssembly Rule 96.
- From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
- Referred to Com. on BUDGET.
- In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.