SB 1276: Crimes: sexual exploitation of a child.
This bill aims to strengthen laws against child sexual exploitation by expanding the definition of the crime. It would make it a misdemeanor or felony to knowingly develop, share, or access images of a minor engaging in sexual acts, including those created using digital tools or artificial intelligence. The bill also updates the definition of sexual exploitation to include digitally altered or artificial-intelligence-generated content. The changes would impose a state-mandated local program to address the issue.
| Sep. 10, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 192, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 10, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 04, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Aug. 28, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 27, 2026 | Ordered to special consent calendar. |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 311.3 of the Penal Code is amended to read:311.3.
(a) A person is guilty of sexual exploitation of a child if that person knowingly develops, duplicates, prints, downloads, streams, accesses through electronic or digital media, or exchanges any representation of information, data, or image, including, but not limited to, any film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape, video laser disc, computer hardware, computer software, computer floppy disc, data storage media, CD-ROM, or computer-generated equipment or any other computer-generated image that contains or incorporates in any manner, any film, filmstrip, or any digitally altered or artificial-intelligence-generated matter that depicts a person under 18 years of age engaged in an act of sexual conduct, knowing that the matter depicts a person under 18 years of age engaged in an act of sexual conduct.SEC. 2.
Section 11165.1 of the Penal Code is amended to read:11165.1.
As used in this article, “sexual abuse” means sexual assault or sexual exploitation as defined by the following:SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B 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 XIII B of the California Constitution.