SB 805: Crimes.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law prohibits credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team, as specified. Existing law also prohibits willfully and credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team through or on an internet website, or by other electronic means, for the purposes of defrauding another. A violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a misdemeanor.

This bill would revise and recast these provisions to prohibit impersonating a law enforcement officer, and would clarify that a law enforcement officer, for these purposes, includes a federal law enforcement officer. The bill would extend these offenses to include willfully and credibly impersonating any of those entities through any means for the purpose of defrauding another. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would, on and after January 1, 2026, require a law enforcement officer operating in California that is not uniformed to visibly display identification that includes their agency and either a name or badge number to the public when performing their enforcement duties, except as specified. The bill would make a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. The bill would define personnel of a law enforcement agency as any peace officer under California law and any federal law enforcement officer. By creating a new crime and imposing duties on local law enforcement, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would require any law enforcement agency operating in California to, by January 1, 2026, maintain and publicly post a written policy on the visible identification of sworn personnel, including a purpose statement affirming the agency’s commitment to specified principles including transparency, accountability, and public trust, and a requirement for sworn personnel to visibly display identification and for specified exceptions. The bill would exempt personnel of any agency from the crime for not displaying identification if an agency maintains a policy pursuant to these provisions. The bill would deem a policy consistent with that exception unless a member of the public, an oversight body, or a local governing authority challenges it. The bill would, if the agency does not address deficiencies within 90 days, authorize the complaining party to proceed to a court of competent jurisdiction for a judicial determination of the exemption, as specified.

The bill would also authorize a peace officer, as defined, to request an alleged law enforcement officer to present identification when there is probable cause or reasonable suspicion to believe the alleged law enforcement officer has committed crime, including, but not limited to, impersonating a peace officer.

Existing law, the Bail Fugitive Recovery Persons Act, regulates bail fugitive recovery agents, defined as a person given written authorization by the bail or depositor of bail and contracted to investigate, surveil, locate, and arrest a bail fugitive and any person employed to assist the bail or depositor of bail to investigate, surveil, locate, and arrest a bail fugitive.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 18

“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. September 20, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 126, Statutes of 2025.
2. September 20, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 17, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. September 11, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2918.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. September 11, 2025Urgency clause adopted.
6. September 11, 2025From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 2940.)
7. September 10, 2025From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 3. Noes 0. Page 2759.) Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
8. September 10, 2025Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).
9. September 9, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
10. September 9, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 15. Page 3129.) Ordered to the Senate.
11. September 5, 2025Ordered to third reading.
12. September 5, 2025Read third time and amended.