Department of Justice: Office of Access to Justice.

Existing law establishes the Department of Justice, which is responsible, in part, for overseeing statewide criminal justice programs, including the California Criminalistics Institute. This bill would require the department to establish an Office of Access to Justice by January 1, 2024, for the purpose of increasing the availability of meaningful access to justice for all Californians, as specified. The bill would require the office to promote access to justice for low-income and other underrepresented people in the California criminal and civil justice systems by, among other things, advising the Attorney General on access to justice issues and developing policy recommendations for the Attorney General, establishing a Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable, and identifying emerging legal issues among low-income Californians by communicating regularly with local legal aid organizations, community groups, divisions and bureaus within the department, and any other group or organization deemed appropriate or relevant by the office. This bill would authorize the office to provide analysis and input as necessary on issues related to civil legal aid and access justice for legislative proposals pending before the Legislature. The bill would require the office to prepare a report describing the office's activities and submit the report to the Legislature and post the report on the department's internet website by March 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, until April 1, 2028. The bill would require the office to cease all activities on January 1, 2029, and would require the department to prepare a report outlining the office's accomplishments and describing ways to improve access to justice and to submit the report to the Legislature and post the report on the department's internet website by April 1, 2030. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2031.