CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1134Introduced by Assembly Member BainsFebruary 20, 2025 An act to repeal and add Section 265 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1134, as introduced, Bains. Abduction for marriage or defilement.Existing law makes it a crime to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry a man, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.This bill would make that crime applicable when the victim is any person, without regard to gender or age. The bill would expand the crime to apply to a perpetrator who makes any attempts to force the victim to marry them, irrespective of gender, marry another person, or to be defiled. By expanding the definition of 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.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 265 of the Penal Code is repealed.265.Every person who takes any woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace or duress, compels her to marry him, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.SEC. 2. Section 265 is added to the Penal Code, to read:265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1134Introduced by Assembly Member BainsFebruary 20, 2025 An act to repeal and add Section 265 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 1134, as introduced, Bains. Abduction for marriage or defilement.Existing law makes it a crime to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry a man, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.This bill would make that crime applicable when the victim is any person, without regard to gender or age. The bill would expand the crime to apply to a perpetrator who makes any attempts to force the victim to marry them, irrespective of gender, marry another person, or to be defiled. By expanding the definition of 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.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1134
Introduced by Assembly Member BainsFebruary 20, 2025
Introduced by Assembly Member Bains
February 20, 2025
An act to repeal and add Section 265 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1134, as introduced, Bains. Abduction for marriage or defilement.
Existing law makes it a crime to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry a man, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.This bill would make that crime applicable when the victim is any person, without regard to gender or age. The bill would expand the crime to apply to a perpetrator who makes any attempts to force the victim to marry them, irrespective of gender, marry another person, or to be defiled. By expanding the definition of 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.
Existing law makes it a crime to take a woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace, or duress, compel her to marry a man, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, as specified.
This bill would make that crime applicable when the victim is any person, without regard to gender or age. The bill would expand the crime to apply to a perpetrator who makes any attempts to force the victim to marry them, irrespective of gender, marry another person, or to be defiled. By expanding the definition of 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.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 265 of the Penal Code is repealed.265.Every person who takes any woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace or duress, compels her to marry him, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.SEC. 2. Section 265 is added to the Penal Code, to read:265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 265 of the Penal Code is repealed.265.Every person who takes any woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace or duress, compels her to marry him, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
SECTION 1. Section 265 of the Penal Code is repealed.
### SECTION 1.
265.Every person who takes any woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace or duress, compels her to marry him, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
Every person who takes any woman unlawfully, against her will, and by force, menace or duress, compels her to marry him, or to marry any other person, or to be defiled, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
SEC. 2. Section 265 is added to the Penal Code, to read:265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.
SEC. 2. Section 265 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
### SEC. 2.
265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.
265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.
265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.
265. (a) A person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 if they take another person unlawfully, against the victims will, and by force, menace, or duress does any of the following:
(1) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry them.
(2) Compel or make any attempts to force the victim to marry another person.
(3) Compel or make any attempts for the victim to be defiled.
(b) This section shall be applied equally to victims of forced marriage or defilement regardless of their age at the time of the attempted force marriage, forced marriage, attempted defilement, or defilement.
SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
SEC. 3. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
### SEC. 3.