SB-824
Social Services

Secure youth treatment facilities.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Requires juvenile courts to develop detailed rehabilitation plans focused on transitioning youth to less restrictive programs.
  • Mandates courts to hold hearings every 6 months to review progress and consider transfers to less restrictive settings.
  • Orders transfer to less restrictive programs when youth show substantial progress in meeting rehabilitation goals.
  • Establishes new standards for secure youth facilities including design, security, and educational requirements.

Summary

Senator Menjivar's juvenile justice reform legislation enhances California's framework for rehabilitating youth in secure treatment facilities by mandating more comprehensive transition planning and oversight. The bill requires individual rehabilitation plans to specifically detail how programming and services will facilitate a youth's progression to less restrictive environments, including measurable progress criteria, opportunities for community reintegration, and support services needed for successful rehabilitation.

Courts must now hold dedicated hearings to review rehabilitation plans before approval, with plans provided to prosecutors and defense counsel at least two days in advance. During mandatory six-month progress reviews, judges must evaluate whether youth have received adequate opportunities to transition to less restrictive settings and can modify orders to prioritize such progress. The court must transfer youth to less restrictive programs when evidence indicates this would better serve their rehabilitation goals than continued secure confinement.

The legislation directs the Judicial Council to develop standardized offense-based classifications for determining baseline confinement terms, replacing the previous system based on Division of Juvenile Justice guidelines. A stakeholder working group including prosecutors, defenders, probation officers, behavioral health experts, and youth advocates will inform this framework. The Board of State and Community Corrections must establish comprehensive standards for secure youth treatment facilities covering design, security, programming, education and staffing by July 2023.

The changes create new duties for county probation departments in developing rehabilitation plans. If the Commission on State Mandates determines these constitute state-mandated costs, counties will receive reimbursement through established statutory procedures.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Caroline Menjivar
Caroline MenjivarD
California State Senator
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/21/2025)

Latest Voting History

April 22, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Public Safety Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5016PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Requires juvenile courts to develop detailed rehabilitation plans focused on transitioning youth to less restrictive programs.
  • Mandates courts to hold hearings every 6 months to review progress and consider transfers to less restrictive settings.
  • Orders transfer to less restrictive programs when youth show substantial progress in meeting rehabilitation goals.
  • Establishes new standards for secure youth facilities including design, security, and educational requirements.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Caroline Menjivar
Caroline MenjivarD
California State Senator

Summary

Senator Menjivar's juvenile justice reform legislation enhances California's framework for rehabilitating youth in secure treatment facilities by mandating more comprehensive transition planning and oversight. The bill requires individual rehabilitation plans to specifically detail how programming and services will facilitate a youth's progression to less restrictive environments, including measurable progress criteria, opportunities for community reintegration, and support services needed for successful rehabilitation.

Courts must now hold dedicated hearings to review rehabilitation plans before approval, with plans provided to prosecutors and defense counsel at least two days in advance. During mandatory six-month progress reviews, judges must evaluate whether youth have received adequate opportunities to transition to less restrictive settings and can modify orders to prioritize such progress. The court must transfer youth to less restrictive programs when evidence indicates this would better serve their rehabilitation goals than continued secure confinement.

The legislation directs the Judicial Council to develop standardized offense-based classifications for determining baseline confinement terms, replacing the previous system based on Division of Juvenile Justice guidelines. A stakeholder working group including prosecutors, defenders, probation officers, behavioral health experts, and youth advocates will inform this framework. The Board of State and Community Corrections must establish comprehensive standards for secure youth treatment facilities covering design, security, programming, education and staffing by July 2023.

The changes create new duties for county probation departments in developing rehabilitation plans. If the Commission on State Mandates determines these constitute state-mandated costs, counties will receive reimbursement through established statutory procedures.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/21/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing scheduled for , 1021 O Street, Room 2200
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Senate Public Safety Hearing
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Senate Floor
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Latest Voting History

April 22, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Public Safety Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
5016PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Caroline MenjivarD
Senator
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member