Pretrial diversion for veterans.

Existing law provides for the diversion of specified criminal offenders in alternate sentencing and treatment programs. Existing law provides for a pretrial diversion program for a defendant who was, or currently is, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, who may be suffering from sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems as a result of the defendant's military service. Existing law authorizes the court, with the consent of the defendant and a waiver of the defendant's speedy trial right, to postpone prosecution, either temporarily or permanently, of a criminal offense and place the defendant in a pretrial diversion program. This bill would add felony offenses, as specified, to the pretrial diversion program for a defendant who was, or currently is, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and when the defendant's condition was a significant factor in the commission of the charged offense. The bill would require the court to find that the defendant's condition was a significant factor in the commission of the offense unless there is clear and convincing evidence otherwise and would authorize the court to consider any relevant and credible evidence in making this determination. By requiring counties to coordinate services for a new group of veterans, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law specifically authorizes a defendant who has been convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses related to driving under the influence to be placed in that diversion program. This bill would prohibit a defendant who has been convicted of any other offense related to driving under the influence from being placed in that diversion program. Existing law prohibits a person, who has been found by a court to be prohibited from owning or controlling a firearm because they are a danger to themselves or others and has been granted pretrial mental health diversion, from owning or possessing a firearm until the person successfully completes diversion or their firearm rights are restored, as specified. A violation of this prohibition is punishable as a crime. This bill would authorize the prosecution to request an order from the court, as specified, to prohibit a veteran defendant in diversion from controlling, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm because they are a danger to themselves or others until they successfully complete diversion or their firearm rights are restored, as specified. By expanding the group of people to whom a crime applies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 2629 and SB 1002 to be operative only if this bill and one or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.