Issue · Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Every criminal justice bill, vote, and legislator stance in California, automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
353
2025-2026 Regular Session
Top supporter
Anna Caballero
92% support rate
Top opponent
Phillip Chen
8% support rate
Ranked legislators
10
5 support · 5 oppose
Key legislators

Who's moving criminal justice in California

Legislators moving criminal justice in California
Legislator Party Stance Support rate Votes
Anna Caballero
Anna Caballero Senate · District 14
D
Strong +
92% 732
Joaquin Arambula
Joaquin Arambula House · District 31
D
Strong +
92% 528
Celeste Rodriguez
Celeste Rodriguez House · District 43
D
Strong +
91% 364
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan House · District 16
D
Strong +
91% 467
Aisha Wahab
Aisha Wahab Senate · District 10
D
Strong +
90% 765
Phillip Chen
Phillip Chen House · District 59
R
Strong −
8% 316
Heath Flora
Heath Flora House · District 9
R
Strong −
11% 275
Brian Jones
Brian Jones Senate · District 40
R
Strong −
11% 398
Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio House · District 75
R
Strong −
12% 468
Ali Macedo
Ali Macedo House · District 33
R
Strong −
12% 532
Showing 281–290 of 353 bills

All criminal justice bills

failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 823: Mental health: the CARE Act.

Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria. This bill would include bipolar I disorder in the criteria for a person to receive services under the CARE Act. By increasing the duties on the county behavioral health agencies, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Sub-Topics Mental Health
passed both · California · Assembly Aug 27, 2026

AB 464: Sexual assault in prison.

(1) Existing law tolls the periods of limitation to bring specific civil actions for up to 2 years, if during that time that the claimant is imprisoned on a criminal charge, as specified. However, under existing law these tolling provisions do not apply to an action brought against a public entity or public employee, as specified. This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, provide that the period for bringing an action for sexual assault against a public entity or public employee that is alleged to have occurred while the claimant was imprisoned on a criminal charge, or in execution under the sentence of a criminal court, is tolled during the entire period of the claimant's imprisonment or sentence. Under the bill, any claim for sexual assault against a public entity or public employee subject to that provision is exempt from all state and local government claim presentation requirements. (2) Existing law establishes the Office of the Sexual Abuse in Detention Elimination Ombudsperson with the authority to inspect all of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation institutions and to interview all inmates and wards. Under existing law, if an investigation confirms that any employee of the department has sexually abused an inmate or ward, that employee is required to be terminated. Existing law prohibits retaliation against an inmate or ward for making an allegation of sexual abuse. Existing law requires the department to keep statistics on the sexual abuse of inmates and wards and make that data available to the Office of the Sexual Abuse in Detention Elimination Ombudsperson. This bill would prohibit an employee who has been terminated after an investigation confirms that the employee has sexually abused an incarcerated person or ward from future employment with the department. This bill would require the department to monitor for 90 days an incarcerated person who reports sexual assault, and the incarcerated person reported to have suffered the sexual assault, by a staff member for possible retaliation. The bill would require the department to make specific notifications and reporting after an incarcerated person is reported to have suffered a sexual assault. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to develop and implement procedures for notifications of an incarcerated person's contact person, as defined. The bill would require the department to minimize the transfer of an incarcerated person who is reported to have suffered a sexual assault by a staff member for 90 days following the report, unless there is an operational need to do so or there are safety, security, or health concerns. The bill would define terms for its purposes and declare these provisions are severable.
Sub-Topics Violent Crime
failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 432: Serious felonies: furnishing fentanyl to a minor.

Existing law, as added by the Victims' Bill of Rights, approved as Proposition 8 at the June 8, 1982, statewide primary election, and as amended by the Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act of 1998, approved as Proposition 21 at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election, among other things, defines a serious felony. 2 3 vote, or by a statute that becomes effective only when approved by the voters."?> Existing law prohibits plea bargaining in a case in which a serious felony is charged and imposes a 5-year enhancement for conviction of a serious felony if the person has previously been convicted of a serious felony. This bill would include knowingly furnishing fentanyl to a minor within the definition of a serious felony. By expanding the scope of an enhancement, 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.
failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 537: Parole: revocation.

Existing law sets the period of parole for a person sentenced to prison for first- or 2nd-degree murder pursuant to specified provisions to be the remainder of the person's life. Existing law requires a person subject to those provisions who is on parole and who violates the law or the conditions of their parole to be remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the jurisdiction of the Board of Parole Hearings for the purpose of future parole consideration. Existing law also sets the parole period for a person released on parole from state prison on or after July 1, 2020, and who was sentenced to life, to no more than 3 years. This bill would authorize the court to remand a person sentenced to prison for first- or 2nd-degree murder pursuant to specified provisions and released on parole on or after July 1, 2020, and who the court determines has committed a violation of law or the conditions of their parole, to the custody of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the jurisdiction of the Board of Parole Hearings for the purpose of future parole consideration, if the court finds that this is in the furtherance of justice. The bill would, if the court does not remand the person to the custody of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, instead subject the person to a period of confinement in the county jail, as specified.
Sub-Topics Probation & Parole
failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 311: Correctional facilities: women's prisons.

Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to institute certain practices to prevent sexual violence and promote inmate and ward safety in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including reviewing and providing handbooks regarding sexual abuse in detention to inmates and wards. Existing law establishes 2 institutions for the punishment, treatment, supervision, custody, and care of women convicted of felonies, known as the California Institution for Women and the Central California Women's Facility. This bill would require the department to establish a secure facility at each women's prison to house transgender women, in order to protect the security needs of biological women, as specified. The bill would also prohibit certain inmates convicted of specified sexual offenses from being housed at a women's prison.
Sub-Topics Corrections
passed both · California · Senate Aug 30, 2026

SB 691: Body-worn cameras: policies.

Existing law requires law enforcement agencies, departments, or entities to consider specified best practices regarding the downloading and storage of body-worn camera data, such as specifically stating the length of time that recorded data is to be stored, when establishing policies and procedures for the implementation and operation of a body-worn camera system, as specified. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2027, each law enforcement agency that has a body-worn camera policy to update that policy to include a procedure for emergency service personnel to request the redaction of evidentiary and nonevidentiary recordings of a patient undergoing medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment by emergency service personnel, and to maintain an unredacted copy of the recording consistent with the policies and procedures of the agency. By requiring local law enforcement agencies to adopt new policies, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 554: Law enforcement: immigration enforcement.

Existing law, the California Values Act, generally prohibits California law enforcement agencies from investigating, interrogating, detaining, detecting, or arresting persons for immigration enforcement purposes, including providing information regarding a person's release date or responding to requests for notification by providing release dates or other information, as specified. Existing law provides that responses are never required, but are permitted, provided that they do not violate any local law or policy. Existing law provides the above-described prohibition does not prevent a California law enforcement agency from performing certain limited exceptions to this prohibition that do not violate any policy of the law enforcement agency or any local law or policy of the jurisdiction in which the agency is operating. Existing law provides a law enforcement official with discretion to cooperate with immigration authorities only if doing so would not violate any federal, state, or local law, or local policy, and where permitted by the California Values Act. This bill would instead provide that responses relating to a person's release date, as described above, are required. The bill would instead require a California law enforcement agency to perform certain limited exceptions to the prohibition, as specified. The bill would instead require a law enforcement official to cooperate with immigration authorities only if doing so would not violate any federal or state law or policy, and where permitted by the California Values Act. By imposing new duties on local agencies, 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
failed · California · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 548: California Overdose Death and Addiction Reduction Act of 2025.

Existing law establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency, which includes departments charged with the administration of health, social, and other human services. Under existing law, the Legislature finds that state government has an affirmative role in alleviating problems related to the inappropriate use of alcoholic beverages and other drug use and that its major objective is protection of the public health and safety, particularly where problems related to inappropriate alcohol use and other drug use are likely to cause harm to individuals, families, and the community. The agency convened the Behavioral Health Task Force to inform its work on behavioral health issues across the state. This bill, the California Overdose Death and Addiction Reduction Act of 2025, would require the California Health and Human Services Agency, on or before January 1, 2028, to direct the task force, or a successor group, to create a set of recommendations to support an implementation plan for reducing alcohol- and drug-related addiction deaths by 50% on or before 5 years from the date the task force provides the recommendations to the agency, but no later than January 1, 2033. The bill would authorize the task force to include additional members as deemed appropriate by the agency, including representatives from specified entities, experts, and providers, among others. The bill would require the agency to adopt the recommendations provided by the task force and require the agency to consider specified information, including quality and performance measures to establish minimum standards for effective delivery of services. The bill would require the agency, on or before July 1, 2033, to provide the Governor and the Legislature a report of the findings and recommendations related to the extent that the 2033 goal was met and how effective the recommendations of the task force were, and recommendations for beyond 2033 that will continue to reduce overdose deaths and addiction. The bill would also make related findings and declarations.
passed · California · Senate Jun 24, 2025

SB 134: Public Safety.

(1) Existing law establishes the Office of the Inspector General, which is responsible for, among other things, contemporaneous public oversight of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigations and staff grievance inquiries conducted by the department's Office of Internal Affairs. Existing law establishes within the office the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board, which consists of 11 members. Existing law requires the board, among other things, to regularly examine the various mental health, substance abuse, educational, and employment programs for incarcerated persons and parolees operated by the department. This bill would repeal the provisions establishing the board and its responsibilities. Existing law also requires the Inspector General to conduct an oversight and inspection program to periodically review delivery of the reforms identified in a specified document released by the department in 2012. This bill would remove the requirement that the Inspector General conduct that oversight and inspection program. The bill would also make conforming changes. Existing law requires the department to establish the California Reentry and Enrichment (CARE) Grant program to provide grants to community-based organizations that provide rehabilitative services to incarcerated individuals. Existing law requires the department to establish a CARE Grant program steering committee, which establishes grant criteria, select grant recipients, and determine grant amounts and the number of grants. Existing law requires the members of the committee to include, among others, a member from the Office of the Inspector General who is familiar with the work and objectives of the California Rehabilitation Oversight Board. This bill would delete the provisions requiring a member from the Office of the Inspector General. (2) Existing law establishes the Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health within the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the investigation and promotion of cost-effective approaches to meeting the long-term needs of adults and juveniles with behavioral health disorders who are likely to become offenders or who have a history of offending. Existing law supports county activities that will divert individuals with serious mental illnesses away from the criminal justice system, as specified, and requires the State Department of State Hospitals to, among other things, consult with the council to evaluate county proposals to help fund the development or expansion of mental health diversion, as specified. This bill would repeal the provisions that establish the council and make other conforming changes, including deleting the above-described requirement that the State Department of State Hospitals consult with the council to evaluate county proposals relating to mental health diversion. (3) Existing law creates the Recidivism Reduction Fund in the State Treasury, to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature, for activities designed to reduce the state's prison population, including, but not limited to, reducing recidivism. Existing law requires funds in the Recidivism Reduction Fund that were not encumbered by June 30, 2016, to revert to the General Fund and abolishes the fund when all encumbered funds are liquidated. Existing law requires, upon agreement to accept funding from the Recidivism Reduction Fund, a county board of supervisors, in collaboration with the county's Community Corrections Partnership, to develop, administer, collect, and submit data to the Board of State and Community Corrections regarding a competitive grant program intended to fund community recidivism and crime reduction services, including, but not limited to, delinquency prevention, homelessness prevention, and reentry services. Under existing law, commencing with specified fiscal years, the funding was allocated to counties based on a specified schedule. This bill would repeal the provisions mentioned above. (4) Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections and sets forth its powers and duties, including, among other things, collecting and maintaining available information and data about state and community correctional policies, practices, capacities, and needs. Existing law, commencing January 1, 2013, and annually thereafter, requires the board to collect and analyze available data regarding the implementation of local plans relating to the 2011 Public Safety Realignment and other outcome-based measures, as specified. Existing law, by July 1, 2013, and annually thereafter, requires the board to provide a report on the implementation of those plans to the Governor and the Legislature. This bill would delete the provisions requiring the board to collect and analyze data regarding the implementation of local plans, as specified, and to provide a report on the implementation of those plans to the Governor and the Legislature. Existing law requires the Board of State and Community Corrections to conduct a biennial inspection of each jail, juvenile hall, lockup, special purpose juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or secure youth treatment facility, as specified. Existing law specifies that a juvenile facility is unsuitable for the confinement of juveniles if the facility is not in compliance with one or more of the minimum standards for juvenile facilities adopted by the board and the facility has failed to file an approved corrective action plan with the board. Existing law requires, if a juvenile facility does not resolve the noncompliance issues outlined in its corrective plan, the board to make a determination of suitability at its next scheduled meeting. Existing law prohibits the facility from being used to confine juveniles if it is not being operated and maintained as a suitable place for the confinement of juveniles. This bill would authorize the board to delegate authority to approve or disapprove a corrective action plan to the board's executive director or a deputy director. The bill would, if that authority is delegated, require the delegee to approve or disapprove the corrective action plan in accordance with criteria and considerations established by the board and require the board to subsequently ratify or overrule the corrective action plan. The bill would also authorize the board to bring a civil action to enforce compliance with minimum standards for juvenile facilities or closure in the superior court in the county in which a facility is located. (5) Existing law requires the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to implement literacy programs in the state prison. Existing law requires the department to make college programs available for the benefit of inmates with a general education development certificate or equivalent or a high school diploma and requires those college programs to only be provided by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, or other regionally accredited, nonprofit colleges or universities. This bill would authorize those college programs to be provided by accredited public or nonprofit colleges or universities outside of the state, as specified. Existing law requires an inmate who is enrolled, pursuant to these provisions, in a full-time college program consisting of 12 semester units, or the academic quarter equivalent, of credit-bearing courses leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree to be deemed by the department to be assigned to a full-time work or training assignment. This bill would instead require an inmate enrolled in a degree-granting college or university program, as specified, to receive the same privileges as an inmate with a full-time work or training assignment. (6) Existing law requires any person employed or under contract to provide mental health diagnostic, treatment, or other mental health services in the state correctional system to be a physician and surgeon, psychologist, or other health professional, licensed to practice in this state, except as specified. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to waive that requirement for persons in the professions of psychology or social work who are gaining qualifying experience for licensure in that profession in this state. For persons employed less than full time as psychologists or clinical social workers, existing law authorizes an extension of a waiver to be granted for additional years proportional to the extent of part-time employment, as provided, but prohibits the waiver from exceeding 6 years in the case of clinical social workers or 5 years in the case of psychologists. This bill would additionally allow mental health professionals to be employed or under contract to provide mental health diagnostic, treatment, or other mental health services in the state correctional system. The bill would authorize the secretary to additionally waive that requirement for persons in the professions of marriage and family therapy or professional clinical counseling who are gaining qualifying experience for licensure in those professions. The bill would additionally authorize an extension of a waiver to persons employed less than full time as marriage and family therapists or professional clinical counselors and prohibit the waiver from exceeding 6 years for those professions. (7) Existing law generally provides for the control and prevention of tuberculosis. Existing law requires various state entities, including the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to meet and confer with recognized employee organizations, as specified, to develop rules regarding the mandatory examination or testing for tuberculosis of the staff of those entities. Existing law prohibits a person from being employed by the department unless that person, after an offer of employment, completes an examination, test, or medical evaluation and is found to be free of tuberculosis prior to assuming work duties. As a condition of continued employment with the department, existing law requires employees who are skin-test negative to receive an examination or test at least once a year, or more often if directed by the department, for as long as the employee remains skin-test negative. Existing law defines various terms for purposes of these provisions. This bill would revise and recast the above-described provisions to require the department to develop rules regarding the mandatory examination or testing for tuberculosis of its staff, as specified. The bill would require a person who is employed by the department and whose primary job functions require them to work inside an institution to complete baseline TB screening and testing and provide a certificate to the department within seven days of appointment to their position showing they are free of active tuberculosis. The bill would require specified employees to receive annual TB screening and ensure that certificates are submitted and accepted by the department, as specified. The bill would authorize the department to require more frequent TB screening or testing, as specified, if there is a known exposure or ongoing transmission within an institution. The bill would delete obsolete definitions, update other definitions, and define additional terms, including "annual TB screening" and "baseline TB screening and testing." Existing law requires volunteers of the department, prior to assuming their duties and annually thereafter, to furnish the department with a certificate showing that they have been examined and found to be free of tuberculosis. Existing law requires employees from other state agencies who are assigned to work in an institution to comply with prescribed requirements for tuberculosis control and requires the department to offer examinations, tests, or medical evaluations to those employees. Existing law prohibits the department from discriminating against an employee because the employee tested positive for tuberculosis. Existing law requires specified state entities, including the department, to report to the State Department of Health Care Services the results of these tuberculosis examinations. This bill would delete those provisions. (8) Existing law defines those persons who are peace officers in the state, grants certain authority to those individuals and their employing entities, and places certain requirements on those individuals and their employing entities. Existing law also grants specified limited arrest authority to certain other persons, including federal criminal investigators and park rangers and peace officers from adjoining jurisdictions. Existing federal law authorizes tribal governments to employ tribal police for the enforcement of tribal law on tribal lands. Existing federal law requires the State of California to exercise criminal jurisdiction on Indian lands. Existing state law deems a tribal police officer who has been deputized or appointed by a county sheriff as a reserve or auxiliary deputy to be a peace officer in the State of California. This bill would, from July 1, 2026, until July 1, 2029, establish a pilot program under the Department of Justice and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training granting peace officer authority to certain tribal police officers on Indian lands and elsewhere in the state under specified circumstances. The bill would authorize the department to select 3 tribal entities to participate, would set certain minimum qualifications and certification and training requirements for a tribal officer to act pursuant to this authority, and would place certain requirements on the employing tribe, including a limited waiver of sovereign immunity, and the adoption of a tribal law or resolution authorizing that exercise of authority and providing for public access to certain records. The bill would require the Department of Justice to provide ongoing monitoring and evaluation and to prepare and submit reports to the Legislature, as specified. Existing law authorizes a county to establish an interagency domestic violence death review team to assist local agencies in identifying and reviewing domestic violence deaths, including homicides and suicides, and facilitating communication among various agencies involved in domestic violence cases. Under existing law, an oral or written communication or a document provided by a third party to a domestic violence review team is confidential and not subject to disclosure or discovery. This bill would authorize a tribe participating in this pilot program to establish a domestic violence death review team subject to the applicable provisions of this law. This bill would also authorize participating tribes to enter into an agreement to share liability and collaborate on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons cases. This bill would create the Tribal Police Pilot Fund in the State Treasury to, upon appropriation by the Legislature, assist program participants with the cost of information technology necessary for complying with reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies. This bill would provide for implementation of all of these provisions only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes. (9) The bill would appropriate $5,000,000 for the 2025–26 fiscal year from the General Fund to the Department of Justice for purposes of administering the Tribal Police Pilot Program pursuant to Article 2.45 (commencing with Section 11073) of Chapter 1 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, as specified. (10) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
passed · California · Senate Jun 24, 2025

SB 136: Courts.

(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.
Sub-Topics Courts Victims' Rights
Showing 281 to 290 of 353 bills
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