Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed legislation to improve California’s criminal and juvenile justice systems, restore the power of judges to impose criminal sentences and reduce recidivism through increased rehabilitation.
The Governor signed the following bills:
- AB 529 (Stone) requires the sealing of juvenile records when a petition is dismissed.
- AB 1308 (Stone) expands the youth offender parole process for persons sentenced to lengthy prison terms for crimes committed before age 23 to include those 25 or younger.
- AB 1448 (Weber) allows the Board of Parole hearings to consider the possibility of granting parole to an elderly prisoner who has served at least 25 years in prison. A signing message can be found here.
- SB 180 (Mitchell) repeals the three-year sentence enhancement for certain prior drug convictions that are added to any new conviction.
- SB 190 (Mitchell) ends the assessment of fees on families of youth in the juvenile justice system.
- SB 312 (Skinner) authorizes courts to seal juvenile records for certain offenses.
- SB 393 (Lara) authorizes record sealing and removes barriers to employment for those arrested but never convicted of a crime.
- SB 394 (Lara) ensures compliance with U.S. Supreme Court decisions by allowing children sentenced to life without the possibility of parole to be eligible for a parole hearing after 25 years.
- SB 395 (Lara) requires children aged 15 years or younger to consult with an attorney before waiving their rights and before a custodial interrogation.
- SB 620 (Bradford) restores judicial discretion regarding the imposition of firearm enhancements. Judges retain full authority to impose such sentencing enhancements.
- SB 625 (Atkins) creates an honorable discharge program for youth who successfully complete probation after release from the Department of Juvenile Justice.