Justice & Public Safety

Authorizes police to remove electric vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels when operated without proper licensing. Allows cities to charge vehicle owners for the full cost of removal, seizure, and storage. Requires a minimum 48-hour hold before releasing seized vehicles to owners who pay all applicable fees. Mandates safety training completion before releasing certain seized electric bicycles.

Prohibits installing shades or tints that obstruct the reading of license plates by law enforcement or toll devices. Bans the manufacture and sale of license plate-obscuring devices in California. Imposes a $1,000 fine per item for selling or manufacturing license plate-obscuring products. Sets a $250 fine for operating a vehicle with an obscured or altered license plate.

Authorizes courts to allow electronic service of legal summons when traditional methods have failed. Requires plaintiffs to document all failed service attempts before requesting alternative service methods. Excludes government entities and their employees from alternative service options.

Expands confidentiality protections for law enforcement officers participating in group peer support services. Allows disclosure of confidential peer support communications in juvenile delinquency proceedings. Protects communications between officers during group mental health and crisis support sessions. Permits disclosure if needed to prevent death, bodily harm, or crime commission.

Exempts ambulances from toll payments on highways and bridges during emergency responses. Requires ambulances to display exempt license plates and proper vehicle markings to qualify for the exemption. Mandates toll facility operators to establish agreements with emergency service providers for toll-free access.

Establishes a new grant program to fund community organizations supporting sex trafficking victims. Increases penalties for hotels that fail to report known sex trafficking activities on their premises. Creates a Survivor Support Fund from fines collected from trafficking-related violations. Requires district attorneys to use vertical prosecution methods for human trafficking cases.

Requires legal motions to document discussions about retaining a certified shorthand reporter for hearings. Allows meet and confer discussions to take place through electronic communications. Maintains existing requirements for good faith attempts to resolve motion issues informally.

Repeals authorization for remote caller bingo games while maintaining regulations for in-person charitable bingo. Requires all bingo proceeds to be used exclusively for charitable purposes with strict financial controls. Limits monthly overhead costs for bingo operations to $3,000 or 20% of proceeds, whichever is lower. Authorizes local governments to regulate bingo games and collect up to $50 in annual licensing fees.

Expands security options for firearms dealers and manufacturers by allowing doors with panic hardware and multipoint locks. Requires latch guards on new door systems to prevent prying and cutting. Mandates steel bars or metal grating on windows larger than five inches in secure storage areas.

Requires electric bicycles to have visible rear lights or reflectors at all times. Mandates specialized safety courses for minors cited for riding electric bicycles without helmets. Waives helmet violation fees if minors complete safety training and parents show proof of compliant helmets. Allocates helmet violation fines to bicycle safety education and low-income helmet assistance programs.

Establishes new rules for who can legally represent trust beneficiaries and receive notices on their behalf. Requires written consent from beneficiaries before anyone can represent them in trust matters. Protects beneficiaries by prohibiting representatives with conflicts of interest. Shields trustees from liability when they rely on authorized representatives in good faith.

Requires background checks for POST employees accessing criminal justice records and databases. Expands POST's authority to access and review criminal records for officer misconduct investigations. Mandates law enforcement agencies report officer misconduct and employment changes within 10 days. Establishes procedures for investigating and revoking peace officer certifications for serious misconduct.

Expands peace officer status to deputy sheriffs in Amador and Nevada Counties. Grants statewide authority to these officers when performing custodial duties or during local emergencies. Aligns authority of deputy sheriffs across California counties for consistent law enforcement.

Establishes standardized acknowledgment statements for prospective and selected jurors in California courts. Requires potential jurors to affirm under penalty of perjury that they will answer qualification questions truthfully. Mandates selected jurors to formally agree they will base verdicts solely on evidence and court instructions.

Makes permanent the requirement for parties to share key evidence within 60 days in civil lawsuits. Requires disclosure of witness information, documents, and insurance policies that could satisfy judgments. Exempts small claims, family law, and probate cases from these disclosure requirements. Allows parties to request updated information twice before trial and once after trial date is set.

Establishes a 3-year Tribal Police Pilot Program granting peace officer authority to tribal police on Indian lands. Appropriates $5 million to help tribal police departments implement required reporting technology systems. Expands mental health treatment options by allowing more types of licensed professionals to provide services. Requires annual tuberculosis screening for prison staff who work inside correctional facilities.

Requires a comprehensive audit of the February 2025 California bar exam administration and contracts. Mandates evaluation of exam vendor selection and oversight of Meazure Learning and Kaplan. Directs the State Bar to fund the audit using existing resources rather than state audit funds. Requires immediate reporting of findings to the Supreme Court and legislative committees.

Prohibits drone operation at emergency scenes that impedes first responders and emergency personnel. Authorizes civil penalties up to $75,000 per violation for interfering with emergency response. Allows the Attorney General and local attorneys to pursue civil enforcement actions. Exempts drone operators who hold federal operational waivers from these restrictions.

Requires juveniles prohibited from firearm possession until age 30 to relinquish all firearms within 48 hours of court adjudication. Authorizes courts to issue search warrants to recover firearms from juveniles who fail to comply with relinquishment orders. Establishes exceptions allowing minors to use firearms for supervised hunting, sports, and educational activities. Mandates probation officers to verify firearm relinquishment through a formal documentation process.

Extends probation periods for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated from 1-2 years to 3-5 years. Maintains existing prison sentences of 4-10 years for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Requires longer supervision of offenders without creating additional costs for local agencies.

Criminalizes the manufacture, sale, and use of signal jammers without federal authorization in California. Imposes fines up to $500 for first offenses and jail time for subsequent violations. Establishes felony charges when signal jamming causes death or serious injury to emergency responders. Requires forfeiture of signal jamming devices upon conviction of any related offense.

Expands California's burglary tool laws to include key programming devices and signal extenders for vehicles. Makes possession of vehicle key duplicating devices and signal amplifiers a misdemeanor when intended for criminal use. Requires no state reimbursement to local agencies for implementing these new criminal provisions.

Requires prisons to notify county probation departments 90 days before releasing inmates under supervision. Mandates coordination between agencies when released individuals relocate to different counties. Requires prisons to share care manager information to integrate healthcare with reentry services. Maintains three-year maximum supervision period for eligible released individuals.

Requires officers to identify themselves before interviewing families of those killed or injured by police. Mandates officers inform families of their right to have an attorney or support person present during questioning. Establishes clear protections for immediate family members during law enforcement investigations. Requires officers to disclose if the investigation may involve culpability of the deceased or injured person.

Authorizes individuals under age 26 to petition courts to seal and destroy eligible criminal records after 4 years. Requires law enforcement agencies to seal records within 90 days and destroy them within one year of court orders. Excludes serious crimes, violent felonies, and sex offenses from eligibility for record sealing. Denies relief to petitioners who have not paid victim restitution or were convicted of new offenses.