California legal term
Racially discriminatory language in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Racially discriminatory language” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Racially discriminatory language” mean in California criminal law?
“Racially discriminatory language” means language that, to an objective observer, explicitly or implicitly appeals to racial bias, including, but not limited to, racially charged or racially coded language, language that compares the defendant to an animal, or language that references the defendant’s physical appearance, culture, ethnicity, or national origin. (Cal. Penal Code § 745)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.