New California Law Modifies Protective Orders to Improve Survivor Safety

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement celebrating the enactment of Assembly Bill 1753, known as The Survivor Pathways to Safety Act. Signed into law on September 28, 2026, the legislation introduces a package of reforms designed to modernize the state’s court protective order system. Authored by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and co-sponsored by the Attorney General and GIFFORDS, the law aims to prevent gun violence and strengthen legal protections for survivors of abuse and violence.

State leaders crafted the legislation to address administrative hurdles and systemic gaps that historically left petitioners vulnerable. Proponents noted that survivors previously faced hazardous barriers just to obtain protective orders and ensure they were effectively enforced. The new rules incorporate ten priority recommendations from the California Department of Justice Office of Gun Violence Prevention’s July 2026 strategic plan.

Expanding Firearm Restrictions and Restrictions on Convictions

The legislation imposes strict firearm and ammunition prohibitions for individuals convicted of specific offenses. Under the new statute, people convicted of hate crimes, violating gun violence restraining orders, violating firearm probation conditions, or making criminal threats of violence against sensitive locations—such as schools, houses of worship, or medical facilities—are barred from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition for at least ten years following conviction.

Additionally, prosecutors are authorized to request firearm-prohibiting criminal protective orders in criminal hate crime cases. Courts are also required to consider issuing these orders on their own motion when a hate crime defendant poses a danger to the public or groups of people, rather than just specific targeted individuals.

Improving Access, Filing, and Court Coordination

To eliminate practical obstacles for petitioners, AB 1753 allows individuals to electronically file court protection order petitions across all order types. Petitioners may also participate in hearings through videoconference or other remote means. Furthermore, the statute stops courts from requiring survivors to provide pre-filing notice to a dangerous individual before obtaining an urgent preliminary protective order if providing that notice would endanger anyone’s safety.

The law improves coordination by ensuring courts can access law enforcement databases, including the Automated Firearms System and other criminal history registries. This allows judges to verify whether a respondent possesses firearms, has lawfully relinquished them, or is subject to other restraining orders. Prosecutors must also provide information regarding a defendant’s firearm access in domestic violence criminal cases.

What This Means for Everyday People

For survivors of abuse, domestic violence, and hate-motivated violence navigating the legal system, these changes remove multiple administrative hurdles. Petitioners can file documents electronically and attend hearings remotely, reducing the physical risks associated with in-person appearances. The law also establishes a standard process for registering protective orders issued by tribal courts and courts in other states into the California Restraining and Protective Order System, ensuring uniform enforcement.

Additionally, the Department of Justice is authorized to seek grant funding to create an automated protected person information portal. This tool would give survivors direct electronic access to database information about their protective order case, including whether an order has been served or violated. Local law enforcement agencies are now eligible for equal reimbursement for serving protective orders, and prosecuting agencies must make reasonable efforts to notify victims and witnesses when a court issues a protective order naming them as protected parties.

Navigating court protective orders, firearm relinquishment rules, and remote hearings can involve complex procedural requirements. Consulting with a qualified attorney or contacting local domestic violence survivor advocacy organizations can help individuals understand their rights and ensure protective orders are properly enforced.

This article is general information based on California Attorney General and court or agency records available at publication time. It is not legal advice; laws and deadlines differ by state and by case. Published October 1, 2026.