Bill > SB50

This bill establishes a comprehensive legal framework to protect survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and other serious crimes from technological abuse through connected devices. The legislation allows survivors or their designated representatives to submit a device protection request to an account manager (the entity managing user accounts for internet-connected devices) to terminate a perpetrator's access to devices or user accounts. To submit such a request, survivors must provide documentation verifying the covered act, such as a police report, protective order, or healthcare provider statement, and prove their exclusive legal possession of the device. Account managers are required to process these requests within two business days by either disabling the perpetrator's access or providing methods to reset the device to factory settings. The bill mandates that account managers cannot charge fees, require additional approvals, or notify the perpetrator about the access termination. Furthermore, the legislation prohibits the perpetrator from maintaining device access and establishes civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation, with enforcement possible by injured parties, the Attorney General, or local prosecutors. The bill aims to address the growing problem of technology-facilitated abuse by providing survivors with a legal mechanism to secure their digital independence and safety.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB50