Senate BillFailedPenal
SB 325: Cellular telephones: communications interceptions.
What SB 325 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill amends a section of the penal code related to cellular telephones. It makes nonsubstantive, technical changes to the existing provision. The existing provision prohibits intercepting, receiving, or assisting in intercepting or receiving communications between cellular radio telephones or between a cellular radio telephone and a landline telephone, unless consented to by all parties. A person who manufactures, assembles, sells, or offers for sale devices primarily designed for eavesdropping is punishable by a fine or imprisonment. The bill does not make any changes to the substance of the existing provision.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Feb. 19, 2025 | Referred to Com. on RLS. |
| Feb. 12, 2025 | From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 14. |
| Feb. 11, 2025 | Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 11, 2025 · 569 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 325
| Introduced by Senator Niello |
February 11, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 635 of the Penal Code, relating to cellular telephones.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 325, as introduced, Niello. Cellular telephones: communications interceptions.
Existing law makes a person who, among other things, intercepts, receives, or assists in intercepting or receiving, a communication transmitted between cellular radio telephones or between a cellular radio telephone and a landline telephone guilty of a crime, unless consented to by all parties to the communications. Under existing law, subject to specified exceptions, a person who manufactures, assembles, sells, or offers for sale, advertises for sale, possesses, transports, imports, or furnishes to another person a device that is primarily or exclusively designed or intended for eavesdropping upon the communication of another person, in violation of the prohibition described above is punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,500, by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
This bill would make nonsubstantive, technical changes to that latter existing provision.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 635 of the Penal Code is amended to read:635.
(a)(b) This section does not apply to either of the following:
(1) An act otherwise prohibited by this section when performed by any of the following:
(A) A communication utility or an officer, employee or agent thereof of a communication utility for the purpose of construction, maintenance, conduct, or operation of, or otherwise incident to the use of, the services or facilities of the that utility.
(B) A state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency or an agency of the federal government.
(C) A person engaged in selling devices specified in subdivision (a) for use by, or resale to, agencies an agency of a foreign government under terms approved by the federal government, a communication utilities, utility, state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies, or agencies of the agency, or a federal government. government agency.
(2) Possession by a subscriber to communication utility service of a device specified in subdivision (a) furnished by the utility pursuant to its tariffs.
Text of SB 325 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions