Justice & Public Safety

Extends the waiting period from 90 to 100 days before firefighting equipment can be sold outside California. Prioritizes sales of firefighting equipment to rural local agencies over other buyers. Caps interest rates on equipment payment plans at 1% below the Pooled Money Investment rate. Authorizes the Office of Emergency Services to insure loans for local agencies buying fire equipment.

Makes permanent the requirement for parties in civil lawsuits to provide detailed initial disclosures about witnesses, documents, and insurance policies within 60 days of a demand. Requires parties to share contact information for potential witnesses and copies of relevant documents even before formal discovery requests. Allows parties to request updated information through supplemental demands twice before trial and once after trial date is set. Exempts small claims cases, unlawful detainer actions, family law matters, and parties without legal representation from these disclosure requirements.

Modernizes court filing rules by clarifying that electronic service does not extend notice periods for motions. Requires courts to electronically serve documents starting July 1, 2025 when parties are eligible. Streamlines legal procedures by maintaining standard notice periods for electronically served documents.

Expands peace officer status to deputy sheriffs in Amador and Nevada counties who work in custodial facilities. Limits these officers' statewide authority to custodial duties and local emergency situations. Aligns authority of custodial deputy sheriffs across California counties for consistent enforcement.

Expands disaster assistance funding to cover immediate community recovery needs beyond infrastructure repairs. Requires the Office of Emergency Services to create guidelines for disaster recovery programs. Enables private nonprofits to receive state emergency funds if they provide secular assistance. Mandates a model recovery process to coordinate government and nonprofit disaster response.

Increases the maximum amount for court-ordered mediation from $50,000 to $75,000 in civil cases. Requires courts to provide free mediators when parties cannot agree on selecting one within 15 days. Mandates completion of mediation at least 120 days before trial without delaying the trial date. Allows remote mediation when all parties agree and requires at least one party to express interest.

Expands courts' authority to reclassify felonies as misdemeanors at any time during legal proceedings. Maintains sex offender registration requirements even when offenses are reduced to misdemeanors. Prevents unpaid restitution from blocking requests to reduce offense classifications.

Repeals outdated regulations for remote caller bingo and card-minding device oversight in California. Requires charitable bingo games to maintain separate accounts for proceeds used only for charitable purposes. Limits total prizes to $500 per game and requires all players to be physically present. Authorizes cities and counties to charge up to $50 for annual bingo licenses.

Prohibits probation officers from serving on juries in criminal cases to ensure impartial jury selection. Maintains existing restrictions that prevent certain peace officers from serving on both civil and criminal juries. Requires jury commissioners to exclude probation officers during the random selection of potential jurors.

Increases the quorum requirement for the Board of State and Community Corrections from seven to eight members. Expands the Board to 15 members by adding healthcare and mental health providers. Requires removal of Board members who miss three meetings in a calendar year. Mandates three-year terms for Board members with eligibility for reappointment.

Updates jury selection process by requiring prospective jurors to explicitly acknowledge under penalty of perjury that they will answer qualification questions truthfully. Requires selected trial jurors to formally agree they will consider only court evidence and instructions when reaching a verdict. Establishes criminal prosecution as a potential consequence for jurors who provide false information during selection.

Prohibits knowingly aiding or facilitating the unlawful manufacture of firearms, including through 3D printing or CNC machines. Requires firearm industry members to implement controls preventing sales to prohibited persons and verify buyer identity. Authorizes civil lawsuits with penalties up to $25,000 per violation for distributing digital firearm manufacturing code. Bans firearm possession for 10 years for those convicted of specified ghost gun manufacturing misdemeanors.

Establishes a new electronic database for the public to report and search for missing children, including immigrants. Provides anonymous reporting features to protect individuals from immigration enforcement concerns. Requires free DNA testing for parents when reuniting with found children to confirm parentage. Mandates firewall protections to prevent unauthorized sharing of sensitive database information.

Authorizes Sacramento to join six other California cities in operating automated speed cameras through 2032. Requires cities to install warning signs and issue warnings instead of tickets for the first 60 days of enforcement. Mandates removal of speed cameras after 18 months unless they reduce speeding by at least 20 percent. Restricts camera placement to school zones, high-crash areas, and streets with frequent illegal street racing.

Makes technical changes to private security guard training requirements without substantive modifications.

Requires sex offender registration for adults who have unlawful sex with minors more than 3 years younger. Mandates 10-year registration for offenders age 21 or older who have sex with minors under 16. Exempts offenders who are within 10 years of the minor's age if it is their only registerable offense. Establishes a three-tier registration system with periods of 10 years, 20 years, or life based on offense severity.

Limits juvenile probation periods to 6 months with possible extensions only after court review and evidence of benefit. Requires probation conditions to be individually tailored and developmentally appropriate for each youth. Eliminates courts' authority to impose fines or mandate unpaid work programs for juvenile offenders. Mandates regular court hearings every 6 months to review any extended probation periods.

Establishes a pilot program allowing district attorneys in El Dorado and Ventura counties to request gun violence restraining orders. Requires courts to notify the Department of Justice when firearms are ordered to be disposed of under restraining orders. Mandates participating counties to report program data annually to UC Davis for evaluation through 2032. Authorizes courts to issue restraining orders preventing firearm possession for up to five years with renewal options.

Requires public posting of a study on how increased juror pay affects jury diversity and participation. Mandates six trial courts to collect demographic data from jurors for the two-year pilot program. Sets a September 2026 deadline for the Judicial Council to report findings to the Legislature.

Expands parole eligibility to inmates who committed crimes at age 25 or younger, including life sentences. Requires parole hearings after 15-25 years of incarceration depending on the original sentence length. Mandates consideration of youth-specific factors like diminished culpability in parole decisions. Sets a January 2028 deadline for completing parole hearings for all eligible youth offenders.

Requires state and local agencies to develop disaster recovery frameworks for catastrophic events by January 2027. Mandates incorporation of six key recovery areas including housing, infrastructure, and economic recovery. Provides technical assistance and federal grant funding to offset framework development costs. Takes immediate effect to enhance California's preparedness for wildfires, earthquakes, and floods.

Requires courts to prioritize victim restitution payments before all other criminal fines and fees. Mandates convicted defendants to fully disclose financial assets to ensure proper restitution payment. Expands the definition of victims eligible for restitution to include family members and affected businesses. Establishes specific restitution requirements for corporate defendants with fines up to $100,000 for felonies.

Requires development of fire safety measures for utility-grade lithium-ion battery storage facilities. Establishes safety protocols to protect emergency personnel responding to battery facility fires. Mandates battery facility operators to share incident information with emergency managers.

Eliminates the statute of limitations for hit-and-run accidents causing death or serious injury after January 2026. Allows prosecutors to file charges at any time after a suspect is identified in fatal hit-and-run cases. Replaces the current 6-year limit for prosecuting hit-and-run cases with permanent prosecution authority.

Requires public reporting of human trafficking arrests and victim statistics on California's OpenJustice portal. Mandates local law enforcement agencies to collect and report human trafficking data to the state. Guarantees state reimbursement to local agencies for costs of new data collection requirements.