20250SB__101898AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-10 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-04-09 2025 SB AMD Introduced by Senator Grove LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Grove

An act to add

Section to the Penal Code, and to add

Section 5156.6 to the Vehicle Code, relating to crime. crime Human trafficking: specialized license plates. Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialized license plates. Under existing law, a state agency is authorized to apply to the DMV to sponsor a specialized license plate program, and the DMV is required to issue those license plates if the agency meets certain requirements. The DMV is required to charge specified fees for certain services related to the issuance of those plates.

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to apply to the DMV to sponsor a domestic violence and sexual assault awareness license plate program, and establishes the California Domestic Violence Prevention Fund in the State Treasury for the deposit of the revenue derived from these license plates. These funds are allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to OES for purposes of funding the Family Violence Prevention Program.

This bill would establish the survivors of human trafficking grant program administered by OES to benefit survivors of human trafficking and would require the OES to apply to the DMV to sponsor a human trafficking awareness license plate program. The bill would establish the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund for the deposit of revenue derived from these license plates and would require that funds from these license plates be allocated, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to the OES for the purpose of funding the survivors of human trafficking grant program.

The bill would require the OES to provide grants to community-based organizations, as specified, that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals in areas with high concentrations of human trafficking, and would require OES to submit a report annually to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would state that this act may be cited as Blair and Kendra’s Law. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as Blair and Kendra’s Law.

SEC. 2.

Section is added to the Penal Code , to read: 13822. (

a) The Office of Emergency Services shall administer a grant program for the benefit of survivors of human trafficking. Grants shall be awarded from the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund. The Office of Emergency Services shall accept donations to the fund on its internet website. (

b) The grants shall be awarded to community-based organizations that are led by survivors of human trafficking or that are guided by substantial survivor input and that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals in areas with a high concentration of human trafficking. (

c) In awarding grants, the Office of Emergency Services shall establish a balanced regional distribution of funds. (

d) The Office of Emergency Services shall, by no later than January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, report to the Legislature the amount of revenues received into the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund, the amount of each grant, and the identity of each recipient. A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with

Section of the Government Code.

SEC.

Section 5156.6 is added to the Vehicle Code , to read: 5156.6. (

a) The Office of Emergency Services shall apply to the department to sponsor a human trafficking awareness license plate program pursuant to this article. (

b) The fees specified in

Section shall be imposed for the issuance, renewal, or transfer of specialized license plates authorized by this section. Notwithstanding subdivision (

c) of

Section 5157, after deducting its administrative costs, the department shall deposit the revenue derived from the additional fees into the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund, which is hereby established in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the moneys in that fund shall be allocated to the Office of Emergency Services for the purpose of funding the survivors of human trafficking grant program described in

Section of the Penal Code. (

c) The department shall accept donations to the Survivors of Human Trafficking License Plate Fund on its internet website without requiring the purchase of a specialized license plate.