Bill Text: CA AB596 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Diversion: victim’s right to restitution.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB596 Detail]
Download: California-2017-AB596-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
| Assembly Bill | No. 596 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Choi |
February 14, 2017 |
An act to amend Section 1000 of the Penal Code, relating to victims’ rights.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 596, as introduced, Choi.
Diversion: victim’s right to restitution.
The California Constitution, as amended by Proposition 9, the Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008: Marsy’s Law, at the November 4, 2008, statewide general election, entitles the victim of a crime to specified rights, including the right to seek and secure restitution from the person convicted of the crime that caused the victim to suffer losses. Existing law provides that entry of judgment may be deferred with respect to a defendant who is charged with certain crimes involving possession of controlled substances and who meets certain criteria, as specified.
This bill would provide that a sentence to the diversion program described above qualifies as a conviction for purposes of a victim seeking and securing restitution, as that term is described in the constitutional provision.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1000 of the Penal Code is amended to read:1000.
(a) This chapter shall apply whenever a case is before any court upon an accusatory pleading for a violation of Section 11350, 11357, 11364, or 11365, paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 11375, Section 11377, or Section 11550 of the Health and Safety Code, or subdivision (b) of Section 23222 of the Vehicle Code, or Section 11358 of the Health and Safety Code if the marijuana planted, cultivated, harvested, dried, or processed is for personal use, or Section 11368 of the Health and Safety Code if the narcotic drug was secured by a fictitious prescription and is for the personal use of the defendant and was not sold or furnished to another, or subdivision (d) of Section 653f if the solicitation was for acts directed to personal use only, or Section 381 or subdivision (f) of Section 647 of the Penal Code, if for being under the influence of a controlled substance, or Section 4060 of the Business and Professions Code, and it appears to the prosecuting attorney that, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 11357 of the Health and Safety Code, all of the following apply to the defendant:(1) The defendant has no conviction for any offense involving controlled substances prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense.
(2) The offense charged did not involve a crime of violence or threatened violence.
(3) There is no evidence of a violation relating to narcotics or restricted dangerous drugs other than a violation of the sections listed in this subdivision.
(4) The defendant’s record does not indicate that probation or parole has ever been revoked without
thereafter being completed.
(5) The defendant’s record does not indicate that he or she has successfully completed or been terminated from diversion or deferred entry of judgment pursuant to this chapter within five years prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense.
(6) The defendant has no prior felony conviction within five years prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense.
(b) The prosecuting attorney shall review his or her file to determine whether or not paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (a) apply to the defendant. Upon the agreement of the prosecuting attorney, law enforcement, the public defender, and the presiding judge of the criminal division of the superior court, or a judge designated by the presiding judge, this procedure shall be completed as soon as possible after
the initial filing of the charges. If the defendant is found eligible, the prosecuting attorney shall file with the court a declaration in writing or state for the record the grounds upon which the determination is based, and shall make this information available to the defendant and his or her attorney. This procedure is intended to allow the court to set the hearing for deferred entry of judgment at the arraignment. If the defendant is found ineligible for deferred entry of judgment, the prosecuting attorney shall file with the court a declaration in writing or state for the record the grounds upon which the determination is based, and shall make this information available to the defendant and his or her attorney. The sole remedy of a defendant who is found ineligible for deferred entry of judgment is a postconviction appeal.
(c) All referrals for deferred entry of judgment granted by the court pursuant to this chapter shall be made only to
programs that have been certified by the county drug program administrator pursuant to Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 1211) of Title 8, or to programs that provide services at no cost to the participant and have been deemed by the court and the county drug program administrator to be credible and effective. The defendant may request to be referred to a program in any county, as long as that program meets the criteria set forth in this subdivision.
(d) Deferred entry of judgment for a violation of Section 11368 of the Health and Safety Code shall not prohibit any administrative agency from taking disciplinary action against a licensee or from denying a license. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to expand or restrict the provisions of Section 1000.4.
(e) Any defendant who is participating in a program referred to in this section may be required to undergo analysis
of his or her urine for the purpose of testing for the presence of any drug as part of the program. However, urine analysis results shall not be admissible as a basis for any new criminal prosecution or proceeding.
(f) A sentence to a diversion program pursuant to this section shall qualify as a conviction for purposes of a victim’s right to seek and secure restitution, as described in paragraph (13) of subdivision (b) of Section 28 of Article I of the California Constitution.
