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SB 239, Chapter 412, Statutes of 2026 · Sunday 20 September 2026

Crimes: criminal threats

SB 239 lets courts weigh threats against local elections officials and elected local officials as an aggravating factor in felony criminal-threat cases.

The law expands sentencing considerations for felony threats that target people administering elections or serving in local elected office.

What the law does

  • Authorizes courts to consider as an aggravating factor a willful threat of death or great bodily injury against a local elections official.
  • Authorizes courts to consider the same factor when the threatened person is an elected local agency official.
  • Applies when the defendant knew the person held the covered position.

Who it affects

  • People convicted of felony criminal threats.
  • Elections officials of cities, counties, cities and counties, and public districts.
  • Elected local agency officials.