(1) Existing law requires the Judicial Council to sponsor a pilot program for 2 fiscal years to study whether increases in juror compensation and mileage reimbursement rates increase juror diversity and participation. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to provide a report to the Legislature describing the findings of the pilot program and providing information for promoting juror diversity by September 1, 2026. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2027. This bill would repeal these provisions. (2) Existing law requires the Administrative Office of the Courts, an obsolete entity, to perform specified functions. Under existing law, any reference to the Administrative Office of the Courts means the Judicial Council. This bill would revise references to the Administrative Office of the Courts to the Judicial Council. (3) Existing law requires the Judicial Council to annually report to the Department of Finance, the Legislature, and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee the total amount of revenue collected in the prior fiscal year, by each court and county, from criminal fines, fees, forfeitures, penalties, restitution fines, and assessments related to infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies, as specified. This bill would require the Judicial Council to annually, on or before February 1, provide a report to the Legislature on the operations of each trial court that includes specified operational and budgetary metrics for the prior fiscal year, including, among others, backlogs and staff vacancies. (4) Existing law requires the Judicial Council to report all approved allocations and reimbursements to trial courts in each fiscal year, as specified, on or before September 30 following the close of each fiscal year. This bill would instead require the report to be submitted on or before February 1 each year. (5) Existing law authorizes the Judicial Council to sell specific courthouses at fair market value and upon the terms and conditions the Judicial Council deems in the best interests of the state. This bill would authorize the Judicial Council to sell additional specified courthouses. (6) Existing law requires the Judicial Council to collect and maintain statistics, and to publish them at least on a yearly basis, about the compliance of the superior court of each county and each branch court with the standards of timely disposition, as specified. Existing law requires, on or before November 1, 2007, the Judicial Council to adopt, and report to the Legislature annually thereafter, judicial administration standards and measures that promote the fair and efficient administration of justice, as specified. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to present an annual report to the Legislature on the use of the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund, with appropriate recommendations. This bill would delete these requirements for the Judicial Council and make a conforming change. (7) This bill would appropriate $4,690,000 from the General Fund to the State Court Facilities Construction Fund to provide a one-time backfill. (8) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
Existing law authorizes the court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant diagnosed with a mental disorder if the defendant satisfies certain eligibility requirements and if the court determines that the defendant is suitable for diversion. Existing law excludes a defendant from diversion for specified charged offenses, including, among others, murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape, or continuous sexual abuse of a child, as specified. This bill would expand those exclusions to prohibit a defendant from being placed into a diversion program if they are charged with child abuse and endangerment, inflicting cruel or inhuman corporal punishment on a child resulting in an injury, assault of a child under 8 years of age resulting in the death of the child, human trafficking, and any crime that causes great bodily injury, as specified.
This measure would recognize the significance of disability-informed response programs in promoting public safety and community trust. The measure would also commend the efforts of law enforcement agencies that have implemented disability-informed response programs in consultation with disability communities.
Existing law establishes a summary proceeding, known as a forcible entry, forcible detainer, or unlawful detainer action, as specified, that a person in lawful possession of real property must follow in order to remove a person who unlawfully occupies that property. This bill, the Remove Illegal Squatters from Private Property Act, would make a person guilty of unlawful squatting when they enter upon the land or premises of another and reside on that land or premises for any period of time, knowingly acting without the knowledge or consent of the owner, rightful occupant, or an authorized representative of the owner. The bill would require a law enforcement agency that receives a complaint of a violation of these provisions to issue a citation and would provide a means for the person to show lawful entry on the land or premises. If court determines that the documentation showing lawful entry is improper or fraudulent, the bill would make the violation punishable by removal, specified fines, and as a misdemeanor. By increasing duties of local law enforcement and creating a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 36 designates April 6-12, 2025, as Crime Victims' Rights Week. This measure formally recognizes the week to acknowledge the importance of crime victims' rights.
Existing law prohibits unlawfully causing a fire by recklessly setting fire to, burning, or causing to be burned, any structure, forest land, or property. A violation of this prohibition that causes great bodily injury, that causes an inhabited structure or property to burn, or that causes a fire of a structure or forest land is punishable either as a felony or a misdemeanor. This bill would make the above-described violations punishable only as a felony including a fine not to exceed $10,000. By increasing the punishment of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
