California’s latest crop of bills had to pass their house of origin by June 2, or suffer death. Here’s a look at the bills that survived the culling, and some that didn’t.
Surviving bills
- AB 881 Juror Fees passed the Assembly May 30 67-6.
- This bill would create a pilot program that raises juror fees from $15 per day to $100 per day for low-income jurors in five counties. The program would continue until 2026. Assemblymember Philip Ting wrote the bill.
- SB 22 Courts: remote proceedings passed the Senate May 24 36-0, and SB-21 Civil actions: remote proceedings passed the Senate May 24 39-0.
- These bills would extend the authorization of remote proceedings in court until Jan. 1, 2026. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bills.
- SB 14: Serious felonies: human trafficking passed the Senate May 25 40-0.
- This bill would include human trafficking within the definition of a violent felony and the definition of a serious felony for all purposes, including for purposes of the Three Strikes Law. Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) authored the bill.
- SB 89 Crimes: stalking passed the Senate May 25 40-0.
- This bill redefines the crime of stalking. A person would be guilty of stalking if they have the intent to harm the person they are stalking, and if they place the person in fear of bodily injury. Currently, stalking is willfully and maliciously following or harassing a person with the intent to put them in fear of their safety. Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) authored the bill.
- SB 97 Criminal procedure: writ of habeas corpus passed the Senate May 24 37-0
- This bill would allow the district attorney to petition a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a person to rectify a wrongful conviction or sentence. This bill would allow for prosecution of a writ of habeas corpus to be prosecuted on the additional bases of the discovery of new evidence discovered after a plea or a reasonable possibility that the factfinder would have reached a different outcome absent a combination of errors in the case. Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) authored the bill.
- SB 75 Judgeships passed the Senate May 25 40-0
- This bill would authorize 26 new judgeships across California’s courts, to be determined by the Judicial Council. The allocation would be determined by the judicial council. Sen. Richard Roth authored the bill.
- SB 71 Jurisdiction: small claims and limited civil cases passed the Senate 34-2 May 24
- This bill would bring cases for $15,000 into small claims court. Currently, cases under $10,000 are in small claims court. The bill was originally drafted to bring claims as high as $25,000 into small claims. It also would cause cases for $50,000 to be in limited civil court. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- SB 42 Attorneys: reporting professional misconduct passed the Senate May 15 38-0
- This bill would mandate members of the State Bar to report to the Bar any professional misconduct they see other attorneys committing. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- AB-89 Parole hearings: attorney notice passed the Assembly 76-0 May 26.
- This bill would require the district attorney’s office to provide notice of a parole hearing to the crime victim or their next of kin 45 days before the hearing. Assemblymember Kate Sanchez (R-Murrieta) wrote the bill.
- AB 88 Criminal procedure: victims’ rights passed the Assembly May 26 77-0.
- This bill would require a victim of a crime to be heard regarding a defendant’s resentencing hearing with 15 days of the resentencing hearing. Assemblymember Kate Sanchez (R-Murrieta) wrote the bill.
- SB 99 Courts: remote proceedings for criminal cases passed the Senate May 22 37-0.
- This bill would extend remote proceedings in criminal cases that are currently scheduled to end June 30. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- SB 78 Criminal procedure: factual innocence passed the Senate May 4 37-0.
- This bill would require courts to grant compensation to people who are acquitted of charges on a retrial, or whose charges were dismissed after the granting of a writ of habeas corpus. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) wrote the bill.
- SB 50 Vehicles: enforcement passed the Senate May 30 22-11.
- This bill would prohibit police from stopping a driver or a cyclist for a low-level infraction such as registration, unlit lights or an issue with the vehicle bumper. Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) authored the bill.
- SB 40 State Bar: annual license fees passed the Senate 39-0 May 11.
- This bill would require the State Bar to increase the annual license fee from $390 to an undecided amount. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- SB 235 Civil discovery passed the Senate May 14 38-0.
- This bill requires certain initial disclosures to automatically be made in civil actions, excepting unlawful detainer and small claims actions. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- SB 365 Civil procedure: arbitration passed the Senate May 24 30-9.
- If this bill passes, an appeal of a petition to compel arbitration will not automatically stay court proceedings during the years it takes to resolve the appeal. Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) authored the bill.
Failed bills
- AB 93 Criminal procedure: consensual searches was voted down 35-22, with 23 no votes recorded, June 1.
- This bill would have required all searches of a vehicle or a person to have a warrant, regardless of a person’s consent to be searched. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) wrote the bill.
- AB-61 Criminal procedure: arraignment was not passed by the Assembly in time.
- This bill would have required arraignments to be held within 48 hours of arrest. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) wrote the bill.
- SB 64 Hate crimes: search warrants placed on suspense files April 10
- This bill would authorize a search warrant to be issued if the property seized is evidence of misdemeanor hate crimes. Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) authored the bill.
- SB 581 Third party litigation financing was placed on suspense filed May 8
- This bill would have tightened consumer protections on litigation financing. Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) wrote the bill.
- AB 23 theft: shoplifting amount stopped having hearings at the request of its author, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance)
- This bill would have amended Proposition 47 by reducing the threshold amount for petty theft and shoplifting from $950 to $400, but only if the change is approved by voters.
- SB-36 Out-of-state criminal charges: prosecution related to abortion, contraception, reproductive care, and gender-affirming care was placed on the suspense file May 1
- This bill would prohibit California judges from issuing warrants for the arrest of people wanted by another state for the crime of getting an abortion. Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Oakland) authored the bill.
- SB 662 Courts: court reporters was placed on the suspense file May 8.
- This bill originally would have allowed court reporters who are certified by the National Court Reporters Association to gain a three-year license to court report in California. An amendment to the bill would have required the Court Reporters Board of California to evaluate the necessity of requiring those reporters to demonstrate competency before they earn the license. Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) authored the bill.
