BILL NUMBER: SB 769 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Block
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to amend Section 1170.9 of the Penal Code, relating to
veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 769, as introduced, Block. Veterans: criminal defendants.
Existing law requires a court, in the case of any person convicted
of a criminal offense who could otherwise be sentenced to county
jail or state prison and who alleges that he or she committed the
offense as a result of sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury,
post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health
problems stemming from service in the United States military, to,
prior to sentencing, make a determination as to whether the defendant
was, or currently is, a member of the United States military and
whether the defendant may be suffering from sexual trauma, traumatic
brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or
mental health problems as a result of that service.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to that
provision.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 1170.9 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
1170.9. (a) In the case of any person convicted of a criminal
offense who could otherwise be sentenced to county jail or state
prison and who alleges that he or she committed the offense as a
result of sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic
stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems stemming
from service in the United States military, the court shall, prior to
sentencing, make a determination as to whether the defendant was, or
currently is, a member of the United States military and whether the
defendant may be suffering from sexual trauma, traumatic brain
injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental
health problems as a result of that his or
her service. The court may request, through existing resources,
an assessment to aid in that determination.
(b) If the court concludes that a defendant convicted of a
criminal offense is a person described in subdivision (a), and if the
defendant is otherwise eligible for probation and the court places
the defendant on probation, the court may order the defendant into a
local, state, federal, or private nonprofit treatment program for a
period not to exceed that which the defendant would have served in
state prison or county jail, provided the defendant agrees to
participate in the program and the court determines that an
appropriate treatment program exists.
(c) If a referral is made to the county mental health authority,
the county shall be obligated to provide mental health treatment
services only to the extent that resources are available for that
purpose, as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section
5600.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. If mental health
treatment services are ordered by the court, the county mental health
agency shall coordinate appropriate referral of the defendant to the
county veterans service officer, as described in paragraph (5) of
subdivision (b) of Section 5600.3 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code. The county mental health agency shall not be responsible for
providing services outside its traditional scope of services. An
order shall be made referring a defendant to a county mental health
agency only if that agency has agreed to accept responsibility for
the treatment of the defendant.
(d) When determining the "needs of the defendant," for purposes of
Section 1202.7, the court shall consider the fact that the defendant
is a person described in subdivision (a) in assessing whether the
defendant should be placed on probation and ordered into a federal or
community-based treatment service program with a demonstrated
history of specializing in the treatment of mental health problems,
including substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic
brain injury, military sexual trauma, and other related mental health
problems.
(e) A defendant granted probation under this section and committed
to a residential treatment program shall earn sentence credits for
the actual time the defendant serves in residential treatment.
(f) The court, in making an order under this section to commit a
defendant to an established treatment program, shall give preference
to a treatment program that has a history of successfully treating
veterans who suffer from sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury,
post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health
problems as a result of that service, including, but not limited to,
programs operated by the United States Department of Defense or the
United States Veterans Administration.
(g) The court and the assigned treatment program may collaborate
with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States
Veterans Administration to maximize benefits and services provided to
the veteran.
(h) (1) It is in the interests of justice to restore a defendant
who acquired a criminal record due to a mental health disorder
stemming from service in the United States military to the community
of law abiding citizens. The restorative provisions of this
subdivision shall apply to cases in which a trial court or a court
monitoring the defendant's performance of probation pursuant to this
section finds at a public hearing, held after not less than 15 days'
notice to the prosecution, the defense, and any victim of the
offense, that all of the following describe the defendant:
(A) He or she was granted probation and was at the time that
probation was granted a person described in subdivision (a).
(B) He or she is in substantial compliance with the conditions of
that probation.
(C) He or she has successfully participated in court-ordered
treatment and services to address the sexual trauma, traumatic brain
injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental
health problems stemming from military service.
(D) He or she does not represent a danger to the health and safety
of others.
(E) He or she has demonstrated significant benefit from
court-ordered education, treatment, or rehabilitation to clearly show
that granting restorative relief pursuant to this subdivision would
be in the interests of justice.
(2) When determining whether granting restorative relief pursuant
to this subdivision is in the interests of justice, the court may
consider, among other factors, all of the following:
(A) The defendant's completion and degree of participation in
education, treatment, and rehabilitation as ordered by the court.
(B) The defendant's progress in formal education.
(C) The defendant's development of career potential.
(D) The defendant's leadership and personal responsibility
efforts.
(E) The defendant's contribution of service in support of the
community.
(3) If the court finds that a case satisfies each of the
requirements described in paragraph (1), then the court may take any
of the following actions by a written order setting forth the reasons
for so doing:
(A) Deem all conditions of probation to be satisfied, including
fines, fees, assessment, and programs, and terminate probation prior
to the expiration of the term of probation. This subparagraph does
not apply to any court-ordered victim restitution.
(B) Reduce an eligible felony to a misdemeanor pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 17.
(C) Grant relief in accordance with Section 1203.4.
(4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 1203.4, a
dismissal of the action pursuant to this subdivision has the
following effect:
(A) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a dismissal of
the action pursuant to this subdivision releases the defendant from
all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense of which
the defendant has been convicted in the dismissed action.
(B) A dismissal pursuant to this subdivision does not apply to any
of the following:
(i) A conviction pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 42002.1 of
the Vehicle Code.
(ii) A felony conviction pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section
261.5.
(iii) A conviction pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 286.
(iv) A conviction pursuant to Section 288.
(v) A conviction pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 288a.
(vi) A conviction pursuant to Section 288.5.
(vii) A conviction pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 289.
(viii) The requirement to register pursuant to Section 290.
(C) The defendant is not obligated to disclose the arrest on the
dismissed action, the dismissed action, or the conviction that was
set aside when information concerning prior arrests or convictions is
requested to be given under oath, affirmation, or otherwise. The
defendant may indicate that he or she has not been arrested when his
or her only arrest concerns the dismissed action, except when the
defendant is required to disclose the arrest, the conviction that was
set aside, and the dismissed action in response to any direct
question contained in any questionnaire or application for any law
enforcement position.
(D) A dismissal pursuant to this subdivision may, in the
discretion of the court, order the sealing of police records of the
arrest and court records of the dismissed action, thereafter viewable
by the public only in accordance with a court order.
(E) The dismissal of the action pursuant to this subdivision shall
be a bar to any future action based on the conduct charged in the
dismissed action.
(F) In any subsequent prosecution for any other offense, a
conviction that was set aside in the dismissed action may be pleaded
and proved as a prior conviction and shall have the same effect as if
the dismissal pursuant to this subdivision had not been granted.
(G) A conviction that was set aside in the dismissed action may be
considered a conviction for the purpose of administratively revoking
or suspending or otherwise limiting the defendant's driving
privilege on the ground of two or more convictions.
(H) The defendant's DNA sample and profile in the DNA data bank
shall not be removed by a dismissal pursuant to this subdivision.