September 2, 2016

Bail Forfeiture: CSAC sponsored AB 1854, by Assembly Member Bloom which restores 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.  It is now on the Governor’s desk.

California Disaster Assistance Act: CSAC supported SB 1385, by Senator Connie Leyva allows 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).  The cost of the terrorist attack in San Bernardino exceeds $19 million.  SB 1385 would ensure that the local agencies that responded to the San Bernardino County terrorist attack are eligible to receive full reimbursement for eligible costs related to this horrific event.  This measure is on the Governor’s desk.

County Jail Visitation: CSAC opposes SB 1157, by Senator Holly Mitchell, which would require 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 must comply with these requirements by January 1, 2022. This measure is on the Governor’s desk and CSAC is requesting a veto.

Traffic Amnesty:  Senator Bob Hertzberg introduced SB 881 early in the Legislative session to extend the 2015-16 Traffic Amnesty Program and remove all ability for counties to suspend California Driver’s Licenses for individuals who fail to pay traffic fines.  CSAC opposed this measure from the beginning, noting that amnesty has had an impact on county collections. SB 881 has been significantly watered-down to only clarify existing timeframes within the current traffic amnesty program.  The measure specifically requires the courts to process applications in a timely manner and requires all applications prior to March 2017 be processed for the traffic amnesty program.  CSAC removed its opposition to SB 881 once these amendments were included.

Immigration Detention Facilities: CSAC opposes SB 1289, by Senator Ricardo Lara, which would prohibit 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 opposes any measure that would limit a county’s authority to contract with a facility that detains offenders whether they are immigrants, felons, or misdemeanants.  This measure ties local law enforcement’s hands and exposes local governments to state civil liability.  CSAC is requesting a veto of SB 1289.

Notification of Parole Hearing: CSAC supported AB 898 by Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez. This measure will add a murdered firefighters’ former fire department employer to the list of those individuals that the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) must notify of a pending parole hearing, in cases where the original criminal conviction was the murder of the firefighter. This measure was signed into law by the Governor on August 22 - Chapter No. 161, Statutes of 2016.

County Jails Inmate Welfare Funds: CSAC supported AB 920 by Assembly Member Mike Gipson, which will extend 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. This measure was signed into law by the Governor on August 25 - Chapter No. 178, Statutes of 2016.

Body Scan Jail Searches: CSAC supported AB 1705 by Assembly Member Freddie Rodriguez. This measure will streamline 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. This measure was signed into law by the Governor on August 22 – Chapter No. 162, Statutes of 2016.