Legislative Updates

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. 

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.

$120 Million for indigent defense offices to support holistic defense

See how little California spends on indigent defense as opposed to spending for county district attorneys, probation, and law enforcement

Budget Chart of Public Safety Spending, FY 24-25