California Spanking Law

While there have been several bills introduced into the California Assembly to ban spanking, they have thus far been defeated. The current law prohibits child abuse but specifically states that abuse does not include most forms of spanking.

Must Be Necessary

California law says that there must be a good reason to spank a child for the spanking to be legal. The reason can be for discipline, in response to misbehavior or similar parental duties.

Must Be Reasonable

California law states a spanking must be reasonable to be legal. Reasonable is defined as the judgment of a third-party such as a social worker or law-enforcement officer.

Be Age Appropriate

Spankings in California must be age-appropriate and delivered to the buttocks. This means a parent may not slap a child, hit him in other locations or spank a baby.

Must Not Expose Child to Serious Injury

Spanking and other forms of corporal punishment are illegal in California if they are cruel, inhuman or result in a traumatic condition or serious injury.

References

• Religious Tolerance.org: Legal Status of Spanking
• Fox News: California Spanking Ban Would Help Stop Child Abuse
• HSLDA: Assembly Bill 2943: Banning Corporal Punishment
• Capitol Resource Institute: Assembly Committee Votes to Ban Spanking in California

Resources

• KidJacked: State-by-State Spanking Laws