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California's legislature passed at least a dozen criminal justice reform bills just over the past few weeks, enough to make it hard to keep it all straight!
They include a ban on facial recognition, sentencing reform, expanded expungement. So here's a thread on some of them.
They include a ban on facial recognition, sentencing reform, expanded expungement. So here's a thread on some of them.
1. Legislature voted to ban private prisons & private immigration detention centers (currently have capacity to detain 4,500 immigrants). theguardian.com/us-news/2019/s…
(IL adopted similar measure this year: appealpolitics.org/2019/illinois-…)
(IL adopted similar measure this year: appealpolitics.org/2019/illinois-…)
2. Expunging past convictions provides huge benefits, but process is so complex few of those eligible apply. A new bill automates some of process, but only for post-2021 offenses. courthousenews.com/bill-to-help-s…
See also: big expungement package introduced in MI. appealpolitics.org/legislative-ro…
See also: big expungement package introduced in MI. appealpolitics.org/legislative-ro…
3. San Diego DA was looking to ask some defendants to to sign away their rights to petition for relief under hypothetical future reforms! appealpolitics.org/the-politics-o…
Legislature responded with #AB1618: It voids deals where DAs have defendants waive future rights.
Legislature responded with #AB1618: It voids deals where DAs have defendants waive future rights.
4. Amid growing conerns about surveillance, the legislature voted to adopt #AB1215, which bans the use of facial recognition technology from police body cameras. cnn.com/2019/09/12/tec…
5. #SB136 would eliminate a mechanism that grows sentences: an additional year per prior felony convictions, even for unrelated things. (Context: theappeal.org/california-has…)
6. Another (#AB484) also targets sentencing by removing mandatory an 180-jail stay for some drug offenses.
6. Another (#AB484) also targets sentencing by removing mandatory an 180-jail stay for some drug offenses.
7. In July @vgullap made case for why "it's time to allow people with felony convictions to serve on juries" (theappeal.org/its-time-to-al…)
And legislature just passed, #SB310, which allows people to serve on juries after completion of sentence (with carve-outs).
And legislature just passed, #SB310, which allows people to serve on juries after completion of sentence (with carve-outs).
@vgullap There are more reforms still—& this follows some major bills adopted last year, starting with important restrictions on felony murder rule.
Some important measures were left on table, tho, including one to restrict (let alone end) disenfranchisement. Could return next year.
Some important measures were left on table, tho, including one to restrict (let alone end) disenfranchisement. Could return next year.
Coda: you can always follow legislative developments on criminal justice from around the country (and California itself passed other bills earlier this year) in this interactive tracker appealpolitics.org/legislative-ro…
