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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 15

Open unsolved homicide: review and reinvestigation.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Vetoed

Sponsors

Cosponsors (6)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law defines murder as the unlawful killing of a human being, or a fetus, with malice aforethought. Existing law also defines manslaughter as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice, and establishes 3 kinds of manslaughter: voluntary, involuntary, and vehicular. This bill would require a law enforcement agency to review the casefile regarding an open unsolved homicide upon written application by certain persons to determine if a reinvestigation would result in probative investigative leads, as specified. The bill would define a homicide to include murder and manslaughter and an open unsolved homicide as a homicide committed after January 1, 1990, but no less than 3 years prior to the date of the application for case review, that was investigated by a law enforcement agency, for which all probative investigative leads have been exhausted and for which no suspect has been identified. If the review determines that a reinvestigation would result in probative investigative leads, this bill would require a reinvestigation, as specified. The bill would allow only one reinvestigation from being undertaken at any one time with respect to the same victim. By imposing new duties on local law enforcement agencies, this 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 16, 2026, 4:04 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 9, 2025
House		AB 15 Gipson Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Sep 8, 2025
Senate		3rd Reading AB15 Gipson et al. By RichardsonpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 29, 2025
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Aug 18, 2025
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jul 15, 2025
Senate		Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jun 4, 2025
House		AB 15 Gipson Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 23, 2025
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Mar 4, 2025
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see

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