25 new laws have been signed into law
As part of California’s sweeping reforms of the criminal justice system, Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed more than two dozen bills into law. These 25 bills — signed in early October 2019 — may have a significant impact on the lives of Californians. Understanding what each of these laws do can help you better exercise your rights. Read on to learn more about these bills, as explained by a criminal defense attorney Riverside, CA.
- AB 1215: Law enforcement agencies will have to wait a minimum of 3 years before they can put body cameras on officers that have facial recognition software. Use of this software was heavily criticized, particularly after it misidentified 26 out of 120 California legislators as people with mugshots. This law goes into effect in January and will automatically expire in 2023.
- AB 1076: The California Department of Justice will have to seek out the criminal records of individuals who have served their time and otherwise paid their debt to society and begin the expungement process. This bill takes the burden of expungement off of individuals.
- SB 136: The sentencing enhancement of 1 year for each prior prison or felony jail term served has been eliminated.
- AB 484: The mandatory requirement that judges impose 180 days of incarceration before probation for possession of certain drugs (such powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin) has been eliminated.
- SB 22: Law enforcement is required to submit rape kits to a crime lab within 20 days of collecting the evidence. These kits then must be tested within 120 days after being received by the lab.
- SB 310: This law will allow Californians with a prior felony conviction to serve on a jury, other than sex offenders or individuals currently on felony parole or probation.
- AB 45: Jails and state prisons are prohibited from charging inmates copays for medical and dental services.
- AB 278: The California Conservation Corps can accept applicants who are on parole.
- AB 1261: Individuals with certain drug offenses will no longer be required to register with local law enforcement.
- AB 1668: The Education and Employment Reentry Program is establishing with the California Conservation Corps, and the director is authorized to enroll formerly incarcerated individuals.
- AB 1394: This law eliminates any fees for applicants who petition to seal their juvenile court records.
- SB 394: Courts are authorized to create a pretrial diversion program for defendants who are primary caregivers of a child under 18 years of age (in consultation with the prosecutor and the public defender).
- AB 965: Individuals who are eligible for youthful offender parole can obtain an earlier parole hearing by earning educational merit credits.
- AB 1423: For juvenile offenders whose cases was moved to adult court, this law will establish a process to move their case back to the juvenile system.
- AB 1454: Grant award amounts through the Youth Reinvestment Grant Program will be increased, and nonprofit organizations will be eligible to apply for these grants.
- SB 36: The assessment tools used in pretrial risk assessments must be validated regularly, and the Judicial Council must publish a yearly report on its website with data related to outcomes and potential biases.
- AB 1618: This law will bar plea bargains that require defendants to waive any future potential benefits of a change in the law.
- AB 1331: This law establishes reporting requirements across the system to address data gaps and improve access to criminal justice data.
- SB 399: The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training will be expanded to include two members who are not peace officers and who have expertise in implicit and explicit biases, cultural competency, mental health and policing or work with vulnerable populations.
- AB 1600: In criminal cases, if a defendant files a motion to discover police misconduct, the notice requirement is reduced from 16 days to 10 days.
- AB 629: The California Victim Compensation Board can provide compensation equal to the loss of income or support to victims of human trafficking.
- AB 415: The California Victim Compensation Board may compensate a crime victim for any costs associated with housing a pet, including temporary housing or a pet deposit.
- AB 433: This law requires a hearing in open court before early termination of probation, with notice to crime victims and their attorneys.
- SB 375: The deadline for victims of violent crimes to file an application for compensation has been extended from 3 years to 7 years.
- AB 917: For the purpose of obtaining a T or U visa, the victim certification process is expedited.
If you have any questions about these new laws, or how they may impact you, do not hesitate to reach out to a criminal defense attorney Riverside, CA.
At the Chambers Law Firm, we are dedicated to staying on top of the latest news, including updates from Sacramento about reforms to our criminal justice system. Doing so gives us the ability to better advocate for our clients. If you have been charged with a crime, we can help. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation with a criminal defense attorney Riverside, CA.
