AOJ Priority Bills                                   

SB 1157, by Senator Holly Mitchell, would have required local detention facilities that elect to use video or other types of electronic visitation must provide for a specified number of in-person visits at the facility. For existing correctional facilities that do not provide in-person visitation, these facilities would have had to comply with these requirements by January 1, 2022. CSAC opposed this bill which the Governor vetoed acknowledging the significant costs this bill would have on counties. 

AOJ Bills Tracked

AB 920, by Assembly Member Mike Gipson, extends the timeframe for the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF) pilot program which funds re-entry services for indigent offenders. The use of the IWF for post-release indigent inmates helps with work placement programs, counseling, education, housing and helps pay for California identification cards and birth certificates. CSAC supported this measure which was signed into law by the Governor.

AB 1597, by Assembly Member Mark Stone, reduces recidivism and jail overcrowding by providing milestone credits for eligible prisoners to participate in education and life skills programs as they earn modest time reductions off their sentences.  CSAC supported this measure which the Governor signed.

AB 1705, by Assembly Member Freddie Rodriguez, streamlines the detainee jail booking search process by giving peace officers the option of using a body scanner, clarify that officers avoid knowingly performing a body scanner search on a pregnant woman and require that the officer performing the search is of the same sex as the offender. CSAC supported this measure which was signed into law by the Governor.

AB 1854, by Assembly Member Richard Bloom, which would restore the ability for prosecutorial agencies and county counsel offices to recover their costs incurred in successfully opposing a motion to vacate the forfeiture of bail.  The Governor signed the CSAC co-sponsored bill with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

AB 2012, by Assembly Member Frank Bigelow, would allow Board of Supervisors in specified counties to authorize the sheriff to create a Jail Industry Authority program.  Jail industry authority programs that are linked to formal education and adult literacy training can significantly reduce recidivism, the rising costs of corrections, and criminal activities. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

AB 2765, by Assembly Member Shirley Weber amends Proposition 47 to extend the petition process for a reduction of sentence to November 2022, or at a later date upon a showing of good cause.  This provides more time for both counties and offenders to petition the court for resentencing. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

SB 266, by Senator Marty Block, would authorize county probation departments to use “flash incarceration” for a person on probation or mandatory supervision. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

SB 807, by Senator Ted Gaines, provides civil immunity to any emergency responder who damages a drone in the course of firefighting, air ambulance, or search-and-rescue operations. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

SB 872, by Senator Isadore Hall, allows a city council or county board of supervisors to offer a contract for law enforcement services to a private school, college or university, if that private school, college or university requests it. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

SB 881, by Senator Robert Hertzberg, is a bill that started off eliminating a county and courts ability to suspend an individual’s license for failure to appear.  CSAC opposed this bill and was successful in having it amended to only make technical changes to the Traffic Amnesty Program.  SB 881 requires the courts to process applications in a timely manner and require all applications prior to March 2017 be processed for the traffic amnesty program.  CSAC removed its opposition to SB 881.  The Governor signed the measure. 

SB 885, by Senator Lois Wolk, would have eliminated the ability of a public agency to contract with engineers and architects, known as design professionals, for upfront legal defense costs against claims related to a project’s design work. CSAC actively opposed this bill and was successful in stopping this bill in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

SB 1064, by Senator Loni Hancock, extends the operation of Alameda County’s H.E.A.T. Watch pilot program indefinitely and expands the definition of commercially sexually exploited minors. The program is a comprehensive guide to help communities in their efforts to combat and prevent the proliferation of human trafficking as a criminal enterprise. The Governor supported this measure which CSAC supported. 

SB 1289, by Senator Ricardo Lara, would have prohibited local law enforcement agencies and local governments from contracting with for-profit entities to detain immigrants.   SB 1289 would limit counties ability to contract with specific providers, providers the state currently contracts with for holding inmates in and out-of-state. CSAC opposed this bill which the Governor vetoed. 

SB 1385, by Senator Connie Leyva, would have allowed the December 2, 2015 San Bernardino County terrorist attack to be eligible for a 100 percent reimbursement of costs through the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA).  Unfortunately the Governor vetoed this measure because of long term implications on the General Fund.