Bill Text: CA AB806 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Criminal procedure: pleas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2010-01-14 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB806 Detail]
Download: California-2009-AB806-Enrolled.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 806 ENROLLED BILL TEXT PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JUNE 2, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fuentes FEBRUARY 26, 2009 An act to amend Section 1016.5 of the Penal Code, relating to criminal procedure. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 806, Fuentes. Criminal procedure: pleas. Existing law requires the court, prior to the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to advise the defendant that if he or she is not a citizen, conviction of the crime charged may result in deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization. This bill would additionally require the court to advise the defendant that, if he or she is deported from the United States and returns illegally, he or she could be charged with either or both of 2 separate federal offenses, as specified. The bill would make other conforming changes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1016.5 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 1016.5. (a) Prior to acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any offense punishable as a crime under state law, except offenses designated as infractions under state law, the court shall administer an advisement on the record to the defendant as specified in paragraphs (1) and (2). (1) If the plea is accepted after January 1, 1978, the court shall give the following advisement: If you are not a citizen, you are hereby advised that conviction of the offense for which you have been charged may have the consequences of deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization pursuant to the laws of the United States. (2) If the plea is accepted on or after January 1, 2010, the court shall give the following advisement as well: Further, if you are deported from the United States and return illegally, you could be charged with a separate federal offense for illegal reentry into the United States, pursuant to Section 1325, 1326, or both 1325 and 1326, of Title 8 of the United States Code, which impose harsh penalties. (b) Upon request, the court shall allow the defendant additional time to consider the appropriateness of the plea in light of the advisement as described in this section. If, after January 1, 1978, the court fails to advise the defendant as required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) or, after January 1, 2010, fails to advise the defendant as required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) and the defendant shows that conviction of the offense to which defendant pleaded guilty or nolo contendere may have the consequences for the defendant of deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization pursuant to the laws of the United States, the court, on defendant's motion, shall vacate the judgment and permit the defendant to withdraw the plea of guilty or nolo contendere, and enter a plea of not guilty. Absent a record that the court provided the advisement required by this section, the defendant shall be presumed not to have received the required advisement. (c) With respect to a plea accepted prior to the dates specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a), it is not the intent of the Legislature that a court's failure to provide the advisement as required by subdivision (a) should require the vacation of judgment and withdrawal of the plea or constitute grounds for finding a prior conviction invalid. Nothing in this section, however, shall be deemed to inhibit a court, in the sound exercise of its discretion, from vacating a judgment and permitting a defendant to withdraw a plea. (d) The Legislature finds and declares that in many instances involving an individual who is not a citizen of the United States charged with an offense punishable as a crime under state law, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere is entered without the defendant knowing that a conviction of such offense is grounds for deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization pursuant to the laws of the United States. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to promote fairness to such accused individuals by requiring in such cases that acceptance of a guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere be preceded by an appropriate warning of the special consequences for such a defendant which may result from the plea. It is also the intent of the Legislature that the court in such cases shall grant the defendant a reasonable amount of time to negotiate with the prosecuting agency in the event the defendant or the defendant's counsel was unaware of the possibility of deportation, exclusion from admission to the United States, or denial of naturalization as a result of conviction. It is further the intent of the Legislature that at the time of the plea no defendant shall be required to disclose his or her legal status to the court.