Amended  IN  Assembly  July 12, 2017
Amended  IN  Senate  February 21, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill No. 8

Introduced by Senator Beall
(Coauthors: Senators Hertzberg Hertzberg, Skinner, and Wieckowski)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Maienschein Acosta, Maienschein, and Voepel)

December 05, 2016

An act to add Chapter 2.9D (commencing with Section 1001.82) to Title 6 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, relating to diversion.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 8, as amended, Beall. Diversion: mental disorders.
Existing law authorizes a court, with the consent of the defendant and a waiver of the defendant’s speedy trial right, to postpone prosecution of a misdemeanor and place the defendant in a pretrial diversion program if the defendant is suffering from sexual trauma, a traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems as a result of his or her military service. Existing law authorizes the defendant to be referred to services for treatment and requires the responsible agencies to report to the court and the prosecution not less than every 6 months.
This bill would authorize a court, with the consent of the defendant and a waiver of the defendant’s speedy trial right, to postpone prosecution of a misdemeanor or a felony punishable in a county jail, and place the defendant in a pretrial diversion program for up to 2 years if the court is satisfied the defendant suffers from a mental disorder, that the defendant’s mental disorder played a significant role in the commission of the charged offense, and that the defendant would benefit from mental health treatment. The bill would allow require the defense to arrange, to the satisfaction of the court, for a program of mental health treatment utilizing existing inpatient or outpatient mental health resources. The bill would require the defense to provide reports on the defendant’s progress to the court and the prosecution not less than every 6 months. By increasing the duties of local prosecutors, public defenders, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the arrest, require, upon successful completion of the diversion program, to that the charges be dismissed, and that the arrest be deemed never to have occurred, except as provided. The bill would state findings and declarations by the Legislature regarding the need for the diversion 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.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Despite never being designed for the treatment or housing of those with mental health needs, jails have become the de facto mental health facilities in many communities across the country.
(b) Untreated mental health conditions can result in chronic homelessness, joblessness, and hopelessness, which may increase the likelihood that persons will come into contact with law enforcement.
(c) Once removed from supports in the community, persons with mental health needs are often separated from other persons and from programs and deteriorate in jail.
(d) For persons who commit offenses as a direct consequence of symptoms of mental illness, diversion into treatment may reduce the likelihood of subsequent offenses and increase the chances of recovery.

SECTION 1.SEC. 2.

 Chapter 2.9D (commencing with Section 1001.82) is added to Title 6 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, to read:
CHAPTER  2.9D. Diversion of Low-Level Offenders Whose Offense is a Product of Mental Illness

1001.82.
 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, in any case before the court on an accusatory pleading alleging the commission of a misdemeanor offense or felony offense punishable in a county jail pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, the court may grant pretrial diversion to a defendant pursuant to this section if he or she meets all of the requirements specified in subdivision (b).
(b) Pretrial diversion may be granted pursuant to this section if all of the following criteria are met:
(1) The court is satisfied that the defendant suffers from a mental disorder as identified in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, including, but not limited to, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Evidence of the defendant’s mental disorder shall be provided by the defense and may take the form of an opinion by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, records of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, evidence that the defendant receives federal Supplemental Security Income benefits, or any other reliable evidence.
(2) The court is satisfied that the defendant’s mental disorder played a significant role in the commission of the charged offense. A court may conclude that a defendant’s mental disorder played a significant role in the commission of the charged offense if, after reviewing any relevant and credible evidence, including, but not limited to, police reports, preliminary hearing transcripts, witness statements, statements by the defendant’s mental health treatment provider, medical records, or records by qualified medical experts, the court concludes that the defendant’s mental disorder substantially contributed to the defendant’s involvement in the commission of the offense.
(3) The court is satisfied that the defendant would benefit from mental health treatment.
(4) The defendant consents to diversion and waives his or her right to a speedy trial.
(c) As used in this chapter, “pretrial diversion” means the postponement of prosecution, either temporarily or permanently, at any point in the judicial process from the point at which the accused is charged until adjudication to allow the defendant to undergo mental health treatment, subject to the following:
(1) The defense shall arrange, to the satisfaction of the court, for a program of mental health treatment utilizing existing inpatient or outpatient mental health resources. The treatment may be procured using private or public funds, but a referral may be made to a county mental health agency only if that agency has agreed to accept responsibility for the treatment of the defendant and mental health services are provided only to the extent that resources are available and the defendant is eligible for those mental health services. The defense shall provide reports to the court and the prosecutor from the divertee’s mental health provider on the divertee’s progress in the diversion program not less than every six months.
(2) If it appears to the court that the divertee is performing unsatisfactorily in the assigned program, or that the divertee is not benefiting from the treatment and services provided pursuant to the diversion program, the court shall, after notice to the divertee, hold a hearing to determine whether the criminal proceedings should be reinstituted.
(3) The period during which criminal proceedings against the defendant may be diverted shall be no longer than two years.
(d) If the divertee has performed satisfactorily during the period of diversion, at the end of the period of diversion, the criminal charges shall be dismissed. Upon dismissal of the charges, a record shall be filed with the Department of Justice indicating the disposition of the case diverted pursuant to this section. Upon successful completion of a diversion program, the arrest upon which the diversion was based shall be deemed never to have occurred. The divertee who successfully completes the diversion program may indicate in response to any question concerning his or her prior criminal record that he or she was not arrested or diverted for the offense, except as specified in subdivision (e).
(e) Regardless of his or her successful completion of diversion, the arrest upon which the diversion was based may be disclosed by the Department of Justice in response to any peace officer application request. Notwithstanding subdivision (d), this section does not relieve the divertee who successfully completes diversion pursuant to this section of his or her obligation to disclose the arrest in a response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for a position as a peace officer, as defined in Section 830. The divertee shall be advised of the requirements of this subdivision upon the successful completion of diversion.
(f) A finding that the defendant suffers from a mental disorder, any progress reports concerning the defendant’s treatment, or any other records related to a mental disorder that were created as a result of diversion pursuant to this section may not be used in any other proceeding without the defendant’s consent.

SEC. 2.SEC. 3.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.