Legislative Updates

Solano County Public Defender (ret.) Lesli Caldwell testifying for CPDA in opposition to AB 468, in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

CPDA Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Legislation 2025
SB 485 (Reyes, San Bernardino)	This bill would give appointed public defenders greater protections and freedom to do their necessary work by providing that a Board of Supervisors can only remove a public defender for malfeasance, neglect of duty, or other good cause. This would mean that public defenders would have the independence to advocate for their clients, even when they take unpopular positions or challenge other county authorities, as they often must. This issue is particularly salient in this era of political retribution for those who challenge authority.	Status: voted out of Senate; now in Assembly Local Government Committee	SB 485 Fact Sheet
SB 524 (Arreguin, Berkeley)	SB 524 requires that police officers who use artificial intelligence in crafting their reports disclose such use on each page of their report. AI is imperfect – it may be used incorrectly; it may have built-in biases, it may simply be inaccurate. Prosecutorial agencies make their filing decisions almost 100 per cent upon the police reports submitted by law enforcement and conduct no independent investigation. It is critical that all parties in the criminal legal system know how and when AI was used by law enforcement, particularly in a police report with implications for a person's arrest or incarceration.	Status: voted out of Senate, now in Assembly Public Safety Committee	SB 524 Fact Sheet
Co-Sponsor, AB 690 (Shultz, Los Angeles)	This bill would prohibit counties from entering into "flat fee" contracts with indigent defense providers. The bill would require the structure of the contract for indigent defense services to ensure that attorneys have the resources and time necessary to provide competent legal representation.	Voted out of Assembly, now in Senate Public Safety Committee	AB 690 Fact Sheet
Co-sponsor, AB 1071 (Kalra, Santa Clara)	AB 1071 builds upon prior RJA legislation to address racial discrimination and bias in the criminal legal system by making technical, clarifying changes to ensure RJA claims are processed consistently and according to the intent of the original law. Specifically, this bill affirms the Legislature’s intent to create a low threshold for the appointment of counsel, ensure access to discovery for petitioners to prove their claims, and directly incorporates Penal Code section 745’s standards and procedures to habeas petitions alleging a violation of the RJA.	Voted out of Assembly; now in Senate	AB 1071 Fact Sheet
Budget Request	This budget request by Smart Justice and CPDA requests $120 million over 3 years to public defender offices and indigent defense offices for holistic defense services for clients. See the disparity in resources that the state provides to prosecutors' offices as opposed to public defense.	$15 million grant for indigent defense providers added into Legislature's budget (SB 101)	Community letter in support of increasing public defender resources