AB 538: Sentencing.
- Session Year: 2017-2018
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2017-03-21
Existing law provides that certain specified felonies are punished by imprisonment in a county jail, but requires that the sentence be served in state prison where if the defendant has a prior or current conviction for a serious or violent felony, has a prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction that has all of the elements of a serious or violent felony, is required to register as a sex offender, or has an aggravated white collar crime enhancement imposed as part of the sentence.
This bill would additionally require a sentence to be served in state prison when if the defendant is convicted of a felony or felonies otherwise punishable in a county jail and is sentenced to an aggregate term of more than 3 years.
Existing law provides that certain specified felonies are punished by imprisonment in a county jail, but requires that the sentence be served in state prison where the defendant has a prior or current conviction for a serious or violent felony, has a prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction that has all of the elements of a serious or violent felony, is required to register as a sex offender, or has an aggravated white collar crime enhancement imposed as part of the sentence.
This bill would additionally require a sentence to be served in state prison when the defendant is convicted of a felony or felonies otherwise punishable in a county jail and is sentenced to an aggregate term of more than 3 years.
(a)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that the purpose of sentencing is public safety achieved through punishment, rehabilitation, and restorative justice. When a sentence includes incarceration, this purpose is best served by terms that are proportionate to the seriousness of the offense with provision for uniformity in the sentences of offenders committing the same offense under similar circumstances.
(2)The Legislature further finds and declares that programs should be available for inmates, including, but not limited to, educational, rehabilitative, and restorative justice programs that are designed to promote behavior change and to prepare all eligible offenders for successful reentry into the community. The Legislature encourages the development of policies and programs designed to educate and rehabilitate all eligible offenders. In implementing this section, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is encouraged to allow all eligible inmates the opportunity to enroll in programs that promote successful return to the community. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is directed to establish a mission statement consistent with these principles.
(3)In any case in which the sentence prescribed by statute for a person convicted of a public offense is a term of imprisonment in the state prison or a term pursuant to subdivision (h) of any specification of three time periods, the court shall sentence the defendant to one of the terms of imprisonment specified unless the convicted person is given any other disposition provided by law, including a fine, jail, probation, or the suspension of imposition or execution of sentence or is sentenced pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1168 because he or she had committed his or her crime prior to July 1, 1977. In sentencing the convicted person, the court shall apply the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council. The court, unless it determines that there are circumstances in mitigation of the sentence prescribed, shall also impose any other term that it is required by law to impose as an additional term. Nothing in this This article shall does not affect any provision of law that imposes the death penalty, that authorizes or restricts the granting of probation or suspending the execution or imposition of sentence, or expressly provides for imprisonment in the state prison for life, except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). In any case in which the amount of preimprisonment credit under Section 2900.5 or any other law is equal to or exceeds any sentence imposed pursuant to this chapter, except for the remaining portion of mandatory supervision pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h), the entire sentence shall be deemed to have been served, except for the remaining period of mandatory supervision, and the defendant shall not be actually delivered to the custody of the secretary or to the custody of the county correctional administrator. The court shall advise the defendant that he or she shall serve an applicable period of parole, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision, and order the defendant to report to the parole or probation office closest to the defendants last legal residence, unless the in-custody credits equal the total sentence, including both confinement time and the period of parole, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision. The sentence shall be deemed a separate prior prison term or a sentence of imprisonment in a county jail under subdivision (h) for purposes of Section 667.5, and a copy of the judgment and other necessary documentation shall be forwarded to the secretary.
(b)When a judgment of imprisonment is to be imposed and the statute specifies three possible terms, the choice of the appropriate term shall rest within the sound discretion of the court. At least four days prior to the time set for imposition of judgment, either party or the victim, or the family of the victim if the victim is deceased, may submit a statement in aggravation or mitigation. In determining the appropriate term, the court may consider the record in the case, the probation officers report, other reports, including reports received pursuant to Section 1203.03, and statements in aggravation or mitigation submitted by the prosecution, the defendant, or the victim, or the family of the victim if the victim is deceased, and any further evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing. The court shall select the term which, in the courts discretion, best serves the interests of justice. The court shall set forth on the record the reasons for imposing the term selected and the court may not impose an upper term by using the fact of any enhancement upon which sentence is imposed under any provision of law. A term of imprisonment shall not be specified if imposition of sentence is suspended.
(c)The court shall state the reasons for its sentence choice on the record at the time of sentencing. The court shall also inform the defendant that as part of the sentence after expiration of the term he or she may be on parole for a period as provided in Section 3000 or 3000.08 or postrelease community supervision for a period as provided in Section 3451.
(d)(1)When a defendant subject to this section or subdivision (b) of Section 1168 has been sentenced to be imprisoned in the state prison or county jail pursuant to subdivision (h) and has been committed to the custody of the secretary or the county correctional administrator, the court may, within 120 days of the date of commitment on its own motion, or at any time upon the recommendation of the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings in the case of state prison inmates, or the county correctional administrator in the case of county jail inmates, recall the sentence and commitment previously ordered and resentence the defendant in the same manner as if he or she had not previously been sentenced, provided the new sentence, if any, is no greater than the initial sentence. The court resentencing under this subdivision shall apply the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council so as to eliminate disparity of sentences and to promote uniformity of sentencing. Credit shall be given for time served.
(2)(A)(i)When a defendant who was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole has been incarcerated for at least 15 years, the defendant may submit to the sentencing court a petition for recall and resentencing.
(ii)Notwithstanding clause (i), this paragraph shall not apply to defendants sentenced to life without parole for an offense where it was pled and proved that the defendant tortured, as described in Section 206, his or her victim or the victim was a public safety official, including any law enforcement personnel mentioned in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3, or any firefighter as described in Section 245.1, as well as any other officer in any segment of law enforcement who is employed by the federal government, the state, or any of its political subdivisions.
(B)The defendant shall file the original petition with the sentencing court. A copy of the petition shall be served on the agency that prosecuted the case. The petition shall include the defendants statement that he or she was under 18 years of age at the time of the crime and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the defendants statement describing his or her remorse and work towards rehabilitation, and the defendants statement that one of the following is true:
(i)The defendant was convicted pursuant to felony murder or aiding and abetting murder provisions of law.
(ii)The defendant does not have juvenile felony adjudications for assault or other felony crimes with a significant potential for personal harm to victims prior to the offense for which the sentence is being considered for recall.
(iii)The defendant committed the offense with at least one adult codefendant.
(iv)The defendant has performed acts that tend to indicate rehabilitation or the potential for rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, availing himself or herself of rehabilitative, educational, or vocational programs, if those programs have been available at his or her classification level and facility, using self-study for self-improvement, or showing evidence of remorse.
(C)If any of the information required in subparagraph (B) is missing from the petition, or if proof of service on the prosecuting agency is not provided, the court shall return the petition to the defendant and advise the defendant that the matter cannot be considered without the missing information.
(D)A reply to the petition, if any, shall be filed with the court within 60 days of the date on which the prosecuting agency was served with the petition, unless a continuance is granted for good cause.
(E)If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that one or more of the statements specified in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive, of subparagraph (B) is true, the court shall recall the sentence and commitment previously ordered and hold a hearing to resentence the defendant in the same manner as if the defendant had not previously been sentenced, provided that the new sentence, if any, is not greater than the initial sentence. Victims, or victim family members if the victim is deceased, shall retain the rights to participate in the hearing.
(F)The factors that the court may consider when determining whether to resentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment with the possibility of parole include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i)The defendant was convicted pursuant to felony murder or aiding and abetting murder provisions of law.
(ii)The defendant does not have juvenile felony adjudications for assault or other felony crimes with a significant potential for personal harm to victims prior to the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
(iii)The defendant committed the offense with at least one adult codefendant.
(iv)Prior to the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, the defendant had insufficient adult support or supervision and had suffered from psychological or physical trauma, or significant stress.
(v)The defendant suffers from cognitive limitations due to mental illness, developmental disabilities, or other factors that did not constitute a defense, but influenced the defendants involvement in the offense.
(vi)The defendant has performed acts that tend to indicate rehabilitation or the potential for rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, availing himself or herself of rehabilitative, educational, or vocational programs, if those programs have been available at his or her classification level and facility, using self-study for self-improvement, or showing evidence of remorse.
(vii)The defendant has maintained family ties or connections with others through letter writing, calls, or visits, or has eliminated contact with individuals outside of prison who are currently involved with crime.
(viii)The defendant has had no disciplinary actions for violent activities in the last five years in which the defendant was determined to be the aggressor.
(G)The court shall have the discretion to resentence the defendant in the same manner as if the defendant had not previously been sentenced, provided that the new sentence, if any, is not greater than the initial sentence. The discretion of the court shall be exercised in consideration of the criteria in subparagraph (F). Victims, or victim family members if the victim is deceased, shall be notified of the resentencing hearing and shall retain their rights to participate in the hearing.
(H)If the sentence is not recalled or the defendant is resentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole, the defendant may submit another petition for recall and resentencing to the sentencing court when the defendant has been committed to the custody of the department for at least 20 years. If the sentence is not recalled or the defendant is resentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole under that petition, the defendant may file another petition after having served 24 years. The final petition may be submitted, and the response to that petition shall be determined, during the 25th year of the defendants sentence.
(I)In addition to the criteria in subparagraph (F), the court may consider any other criteria that the court deems relevant to its decision, so long as the court identifies them on the record, provides a statement of reasons for adopting them, and states why the defendant does or does not satisfy the criteria.
(J)This subdivision shall have retroactive application.
(K)Nothing in this paragraph is intended to diminish or abrogate any rights or remedies otherwise available to the defendant.
(e)(1)Notwithstanding any other law and consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), if the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings or both determine that a prisoner satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph (2), the secretary or the board may recommend to the court that the prisoners sentence be recalled.
(2)The court shall have the discretion to resentence or recall if the court finds that the facts described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) or subparagraphs (B) and (C) exist:
(A)The prisoner is terminally ill with an incurable condition caused by an illness or disease that would produce death within six months, as determined by a physician employed by the department.
(B)The conditions under which the prisoner would be released or receive treatment do not pose a threat to public safety.
(C)The prisoner is permanently medically incapacitated with a medical condition that renders him or her permanently unable to perform activities of basic daily living, and results in the prisoner requiring 24-hour total care, including, but not limited to, coma, persistent vegetative state, brain death, ventilator-dependency, loss of control of muscular or neurological function, and that incapacitation did not exist at the time of the original sentencing.
The Board of Parole Hearings shall make findings pursuant to this subdivision before making a recommendation for resentence or recall to the court. This subdivision does not apply to a prisoner sentenced to death or a term of life without the possibility of parole.
(3)Within 10 days of receipt of a positive recommendation by the secretary or the board, the court shall hold a hearing to consider whether the prisoners sentence should be recalled.
(4)Any physician employed by the department who determines that a prisoner has six months or less to live shall notify the chief medical officer of the prognosis. If the chief medical officer concurs with the prognosis, he or she shall notify the warden. Within 48 hours of receiving notification, the warden or the wardens representative shall notify the prisoner of the recall and resentencing procedures, and shall arrange for the prisoner to designate a family member or other outside agent to be notified as to the prisoners medical condition and prognosis, and as to the recall and resentencing procedures. If the inmate is deemed mentally unfit, the warden or the wardens representative shall contact the inmates emergency contact and provide the information described in paragraph (2).
(5)The warden or the wardens representative shall provide the prisoner and his or her family member, agent, or emergency contact, as described in paragraph (4), updated information throughout the recall and resentencing process with regard to the prisoners medical condition and the status of the prisoners recall and resentencing proceedings.
(6)Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the prisoner or his or her family member or designee may independently request consideration for recall and resentencing by contacting the chief medical officer at the prison or the secretary. Upon receipt of the request, the chief medical officer and the warden or the wardens representative shall follow the procedures described in paragraph (4). If the secretary determines that the prisoner satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph (2), the secretary or board may recommend to the court that the prisoners sentence be recalled. The secretary shall submit a recommendation for release within 30 days in the case of inmates sentenced to determinate terms and, in the case of inmates sentenced to indeterminate terms, the secretary shall make a recommendation to the Board of Parole Hearings with respect to the inmates who have applied under this section. The board shall consider this information and make an independent judgment pursuant to paragraph (2) and make findings related thereto before rejecting the request or making a recommendation to the court. This action shall be taken at the next lawfully noticed board meeting.
(7)Any recommendation for recall submitted to the court by the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings shall include one or more medical evaluations, a postrelease plan, and findings pursuant to paragraph (2).
(8)If possible, the matter shall be heard before the same judge of the court who sentenced the prisoner.
(9)If the court grants the recall and resentencing application, the prisoner shall be released by the department within 48 hours of receipt of the courts order, unless a longer time period is agreed to by the inmate. At the time of release, the warden or the wardens representative shall ensure that the prisoner has each of the following in his or her possession: a discharge medical summary, full medical records, state identification, parole or postrelease community supervision medications, and all property belonging to the prisoner. After discharge, any additional records shall be sent to the prisoners forwarding address.
(10)The secretary shall issue a directive to medical and correctional staff employed by the department that details the guidelines and procedures for initiating a recall and resentencing procedure. The directive shall clearly state that any prisoner who is given a prognosis of six months or less to live is eligible for recall and resentencing consideration, and that recall and resentencing procedures shall be initiated upon that prognosis.
(11)The provisions of this subdivision shall be available to an inmate who is sentenced to a county jail pursuant to subdivision (h). For purposes of those inmates, secretary or warden shall mean the county correctional administrator and chief medical officer shall mean a physician designated by the county correctional administrator for this purpose.
(f)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (h), any allegation that a defendant is eligible for state prison due to a prior or current conviction, sentence enhancement, or because he or she is required to register as a sex offender shall not be subject to dismissal pursuant to Section 1385.
(g)A sentence to state prison for a determinate term for which only one term is specified, specified is a sentence to state prison under this section.
(h)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision where the term is not specified in the underlying offense shall be punishable by a term of imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or two or three years.
(2)Except as provided in paragraph (3), a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision shall be punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for the term described in the underlying offense.
(3)Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), where the defendant (A) has a prior or current felony conviction for a serious felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 or a prior or current conviction for a violent felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, (B) has a prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction for an offense that has all the elements of a serious felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 or a violent felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, (C) is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 290) of Title 9 of Part 1, (D) is convicted of a crime and as part of the sentence an enhancement pursuant to Section 186.11 is imposed, or (E) is convicted of a felony or felonies punishable pursuant to this subdivision and is sentenced to an aggregate term of more than three years, an executed sentence for a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision shall be served in state prison.
(4)Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent other dispositions authorized by law, including pretrial diversion, deferred entry of judgment, or an order granting probation pursuant to Section 1203.1.
(5)(A)Unless the court finds that, in the interests of justice, it is not appropriate in a particular case, the court, when imposing a sentence pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2), shall suspend execution of a concluding portion of the term for a period selected at the courts discretion.
(B)The portion of a defendants sentenced term that is suspended pursuant to this paragraph shall be known as mandatory supervision, and, unless otherwise ordered by the court, shall commence upon release from physical custody or an alternative custody program, whichever is later. During the period of mandatory supervision, the defendant shall be supervised by the county probation officer in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures generally applicable to persons placed on probation, for the remaining unserved portion of the sentence imposed by the court. The period of supervision shall be mandatory, and may not be earlier terminated except by court order. Any proceeding to revoke or modify mandatory supervision under this subparagraph shall be conducted pursuant to either subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 1203.2 or Section 1203.3. During the period when the defendant is under that supervision, unless in actual custody related to the sentence imposed by the court, the defendant shall be entitled to only actual time credit against the term of imprisonment imposed by the court. Any time period which is suspended because a person has absconded shall not be credited toward the period of supervision.
(6)The sentencing changes made by the act that added this subdivision shall be applied prospectively to any person sentenced on or after October 1, 2011.
(7)The sentencing changes made to paragraph (5) by the act that added this paragraph shall become effective and operative on January 1, 2015, and shall be applied prospectively to any person sentenced on or after January 1, 2015.
(i)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2022, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends that date.
(a)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that the purpose of sentencing is public safety achieved through punishment, rehabilitation, and restorative justice. When a sentence includes incarceration, this purpose is best served by terms that are proportionate to the seriousness of the offense with provision for uniformity in the sentences of offenders committing the same offense under similar circumstances.
(2)The Legislature further finds and declares that programs should be available for inmates, including, but not limited to, educational, rehabilitative, and restorative justice programs that are designed to promote behavior change and to prepare all eligible offenders for successful reentry into the community. The Legislature encourages the development of policies and programs designed to educate and rehabilitate all eligible offenders. In implementing this section, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is encouraged to allow all eligible inmates the opportunity to enroll in programs that promote successful return to the community. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is directed to establish a mission statement consistent with these principles.
(3)In any case in which the sentence prescribed by statute for a person convicted of a public offense is a term of imprisonment in the state prison or a term pursuant to subdivision (h) of any specification of three time periods, the court shall sentence the defendant to one of the terms of imprisonment specified unless the convicted person is given any other disposition provided by law, including a fine, jail, probation, or the suspension of imposition or execution of sentence or is sentenced pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1168 because he or she had committed his or her crime prior to July 1, 1977. In sentencing the convicted person, the court shall apply the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council. The court, unless it determines that there are circumstances in mitigation of the sentence prescribed, shall also impose any other term that it is required by law to impose as an additional term. Nothing in this article shall affect any provision of law that imposes the death penalty, that authorizes or restricts the granting of probation or suspending the execution or imposition of sentence, or expressly provides for imprisonment in the state prison for life, except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). In any case in which the amount of preimprisonment credit under Section 2900.5 or any other law is equal to or exceeds any sentence imposed pursuant to this chapter, except for the remaining portion of mandatory supervision pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h), the entire sentence shall be deemed to have been served, except for the remaining period of mandatory supervision, and the defendant shall not be actually delivered to the custody of the secretary or to the custody of the county correctional administrator. The court shall advise the defendant that he or she shall serve an applicable period of parole, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision, and order the defendant to report to the parole or probation office closest to the defendants last legal residence, unless the in-custody credits equal the total sentence, including both confinement time and the period of parole, postrelease community supervision, or mandatory supervision. The sentence shall be deemed a separate prior prison term or a sentence of imprisonment in a county jail under subdivision (h) for purposes of Section 667.5, and a copy of the judgment and other necessary documentation shall be forwarded to the secretary.
(b)When a judgment of imprisonment is to be imposed and the statute specifies three possible terms, the choice of the appropriate term shall rest within the sound discretion of the court. At least four days prior to the time set for imposition of judgment, either party or the victim, or the family of the victim if the victim is deceased, may submit a statement in aggravation or mitigation. In determining the appropriate term, the court may consider the record in the case, the probation officers report, other reports, including reports received pursuant to Section 1203.03, and statements in aggravation or mitigation submitted by the prosecution, the defendant, or the victim, or the family of the victim if the victim is deceased, and any further evidence introduced at the sentencing hearing. The court shall select the term which, in the courts discretion, best serves the interests of justice. The court shall set forth on the record the reasons for imposing the term selected and the court may not impose an upper term by using the fact of any enhancement upon which sentence is imposed under any provision of law. A term of imprisonment shall not be specified if imposition of sentence is suspended.
(c)The court shall state the reasons for its sentence choice on the record at the time of sentencing. The court shall also inform the defendant that as part of the sentence after expiration of the term he or she may be on parole for a period as provided in Section 3000 or 3000.08 or postrelease community supervision for a period as provided in Section 3451.
(d)(1)When a defendant subject to this section or subdivision (b) of Section 1168 has been sentenced to be imprisoned in the state prison or county jail pursuant to subdivision (h) and has been committed to the custody of the secretary or the county correctional administrator, the court may, within 120 days of the date of commitment on its own motion, or at any time upon the recommendation of the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings in the case of state prison inmates, or the county correctional administrator in the case of county jail inmates, recall the sentence and commitment previously ordered and resentence the defendant in the same manner as if he or she had not previously been sentenced, provided the new sentence, if any, is no greater than the initial sentence. The court resentencing under this subdivision shall apply the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council so as to eliminate disparity of sentences and to promote uniformity of sentencing. Credit shall be given for time served.
(2)(A)(i)When a defendant who was under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole has been incarcerated for at least 15 years, the defendant may submit to the sentencing court a petition for recall and resentencing.
(ii)Notwithstanding clause (i), this paragraph shall not apply to defendants sentenced to life without parole for an offense where it was pled and proved that the defendant tortured, as described in Section 206, his or her victim or the victim was a public safety official, including any law enforcement personnel mentioned in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3, or any firefighter as described in Section 245.1, as well as any other officer in any segment of law enforcement who is employed by the federal government, the state, or any of its political subdivisions.
(B)The defendant shall file the original petition with the sentencing court. A copy of the petition shall be served on the agency that prosecuted the case. The petition shall include the defendants statement that he or she was under 18 years of age at the time of the crime and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the defendants statement describing his or her remorse and work towards rehabilitation, and the defendants statement that one of the following is true:
(i)The defendant was convicted pursuant to felony murder or aiding and abetting murder provisions of law.
(ii)The defendant does not have juvenile felony adjudications for assault or other felony crimes with a significant potential for personal harm to victims prior to the offense for which the sentence is being considered for recall.
(iii)The defendant committed the offense with at least one adult codefendant.
(iv)The defendant has performed acts that tend to indicate rehabilitation or the potential for rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, availing himself or herself of rehabilitative, educational, or vocational programs, if those programs have been available at his or her classification level and facility, using self-study for self-improvement, or showing evidence of remorse.
(C)If any of the information required in subparagraph (B) is missing from the petition, or if proof of service on the prosecuting agency is not provided, the court shall return the petition to the defendant and advise the defendant that the matter cannot be considered without the missing information.
(D)A reply to the petition, if any, shall be filed with the court within 60 days of the date on which the prosecuting agency was served with the petition, unless a continuance is granted for good cause.
(E)If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that one or more of the statements specified in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive, of subparagraph (B) is true, the court shall recall the sentence and commitment previously ordered and hold a hearing to resentence the defendant in the same manner as if the defendant had not previously been sentenced, provided that the new sentence, if any, is not greater than the initial sentence. Victims, or victim family members if the victim is deceased, shall retain the rights to participate in the hearing.
(F)The factors that the court may consider when determining whether to resentence the defendant to a term of imprisonment with the possibility of parole include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i)The defendant was convicted pursuant to felony murder or aiding and abetting murder provisions of law.
(ii)The defendant does not have juvenile felony adjudications for assault or other felony crimes with a significant potential for personal harm to victims prior to the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
(iii)The defendant committed the offense with at least one adult codefendant.
(iv)Prior to the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, the defendant had insufficient adult support or supervision and had suffered from psychological or physical trauma, or significant stress.
(v)The defendant suffers from cognitive limitations due to mental illness, developmental disabilities, or other factors that did not constitute a defense, but influenced the defendants involvement in the offense.
(vi)The defendant has performed acts that tend to indicate rehabilitation or the potential for rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, availing himself or herself of rehabilitative, educational, or vocational programs, if those programs have been available at his or her classification level and facility, using self-study for self-improvement, or showing evidence of remorse.
(vii)The defendant has maintained family ties or connections with others through letter writing, calls, or visits, or has eliminated contact with individuals outside of prison who are currently involved with crime.
(viii)The defendant has had no disciplinary actions for violent activities in the last five years in which the defendant was determined to be the aggressor.
(G)The court shall have the discretion to resentence the defendant in the same manner as if the defendant had not previously been sentenced, provided that the new sentence, if any, is not greater than the initial sentence. The discretion of the court shall be exercised in consideration of the criteria in subparagraph (F). Victims, or victim family members if the victim is deceased, shall be notified of the resentencing hearing and shall retain their rights to participate in the hearing.
(H)If the sentence is not recalled or the defendant is resentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole, the defendant may submit another petition for recall and resentencing to the sentencing court when the defendant has been committed to the custody of the department for at least 20 years. If the sentence is not recalled or the defendant is resentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole under that petition, the defendant may file another petition after having served 24 years. The final petition may be submitted, and the response to that petition shall be determined, during the 25th year of the defendants sentence.
(I)In addition to the criteria in subparagraph (F), the court may consider any other criteria that the court deems relevant to its decision, so long as the court identifies them on the record, provides a statement of reasons for adopting them, and states why the defendant does or does not satisfy the criteria.
(J)This subdivision shall have retroactive application.
(K)Nothing in this paragraph is intended to diminish or abrogate any rights or remedies otherwise available to the defendant.
(e)(1)Notwithstanding any other law and consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), if the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings or both determine that a prisoner satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph (2), the secretary or the board may recommend to the court that the prisoners sentence be recalled.
(2)The court shall have the discretion to resentence or recall if the court finds that the facts described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) or subparagraphs (B) and (C) exist:
(A)The prisoner is terminally ill with an incurable condition caused by an illness or disease that would produce death within six months, as determined by a physician employed by the department.
(B)The conditions under which the prisoner would be released or receive treatment do not pose a threat to public safety.
(C)The prisoner is permanently medically incapacitated with a medical condition that renders him or her permanently unable to perform activities of basic daily living, and results in the prisoner requiring 24-hour total care, including, but not limited to, coma, persistent vegetative state, brain death, ventilator-dependency, loss of control of muscular or neurological function, and that incapacitation did not exist at the time of the original sentencing.
The Board of Parole Hearings shall make findings pursuant to this subdivision before making a recommendation for resentence or recall to the court. This subdivision does not apply to a prisoner sentenced to death or a term of life without the possibility of parole.
(3)Within 10 days of receipt of a positive recommendation by the secretary or the board, the court shall hold a hearing to consider whether the prisoners sentence should be recalled.
(4)Any physician employed by the department who determines that a prisoner has six months or less to live shall notify the chief medical officer of the prognosis. If the chief medical officer concurs with the prognosis, he or she shall notify the warden. Within 48 hours of receiving notification, the warden or the wardens representative shall notify the prisoner of the recall and resentencing procedures, and shall arrange for the prisoner to designate a family member or other outside agent to be notified as to the prisoners medical condition and prognosis, and as to the recall and resentencing procedures. If the inmate is deemed mentally unfit, the warden or the wardens representative shall contact the inmates emergency contact and provide the information described in paragraph (2).
(5)The warden or the wardens representative shall provide the prisoner and his or her family member, agent, or emergency contact, as described in paragraph (4), updated information throughout the recall and resentencing process with regard to the prisoners medical condition and the status of the prisoners recall and resentencing proceedings.
(6)Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the prisoner or his or her family member or designee may independently request consideration for recall and resentencing by contacting the chief medical officer at the prison or the secretary. Upon receipt of the request, the chief medical officer and the warden or the wardens representative shall follow the procedures described in paragraph (4). If the secretary determines that the prisoner satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph (2), the secretary or board may recommend to the court that the prisoners sentence be recalled. The secretary shall submit a recommendation for release within 30 days in the case of inmates sentenced to determinate terms and, in the case of inmates sentenced to indeterminate terms, the secretary shall make a recommendation to the Board of Parole Hearings with respect to the inmates who have applied under this section. The board shall consider this information and make an independent judgment pursuant to paragraph (2) and make findings related thereto before rejecting the request or making a recommendation to the court. This action shall be taken at the next lawfully noticed board meeting.
(7)Any recommendation for recall submitted to the court by the secretary or the Board of Parole Hearings shall include one or more medical evaluations, a postrelease plan, and findings pursuant to paragraph (2).
(8)If possible, the matter shall be heard before the same judge of the court who sentenced the prisoner.
(9)If the court grants the recall and resentencing application, the prisoner shall be released by the department within 48 hours of receipt of the courts order, unless a longer time period is agreed to by the inmate. At the time of release, the warden or the wardens representative shall ensure that the prisoner has each of the following in his or her possession: a discharge medical summary, full medical records, state identification, parole or postrelease community supervision medications, and all property belonging to the prisoner. After discharge, any additional records shall be sent to the prisoners forwarding address.
(10)The secretary shall issue a directive to medical and correctional staff employed by the department that details the guidelines and procedures for initiating a recall and resentencing procedure. The directive shall clearly state that any prisoner who is given a prognosis of six months or less to live is eligible for recall and resentencing consideration, and that recall and resentencing procedures shall be initiated upon that prognosis.
(11)The provisions of this subdivision shall be available to an inmate who is sentenced to a county jail pursuant to subdivision (h). For purposes of those inmates, secretary or warden shall mean the county correctional administrator and chief medical officer shall mean a physician designated by the county correctional administrator for this purpose.
(f)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (h), any allegation that a defendant is eligible for state prison due to a prior or current conviction, sentence enhancement, or because he or she is required to register as a sex offender shall not be subject to dismissal pursuant to Section 1385.
(g)A sentence to state prison for a determinate term for which only one term is specified, is a sentence to state prison under this section.
(h)(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision where the term is not specified in the underlying offense shall be punishable by a term of imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or two or three years.
(2)Except as provided in paragraph (3), a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision shall be punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for the term described in the underlying offense.
(3)Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), where the defendant (A) has a prior or current felony conviction for a serious felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 or a prior or current conviction for a violent felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, (B) has a prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction for an offense that has all the elements of a serious felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 or a violent felony described in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, (C) is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 290) of Title 9 of Part 1, or (D) is convicted of a crime and as part of the sentence an enhancement pursuant to Section 186.11 is imposed, an or (E) is convicted of a felony or felonies punishable pursuant to this subdivision and is sentenced to an aggregate term of more than three years, executed sentence for a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision shall be served in state prison.
(4)Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent other dispositions authorized by law, including pretrial diversion, deferred entry of judgment, or an order granting probation pursuant to Section 1203.1.
(5)(A)Unless the court finds that, in the interests of justice, it is not appropriate in a particular case, the court, when imposing a sentence pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2), shall suspend execution of a concluding portion of the term for a period selected at the courts discretion.
(B)The portion of a defendants sentenced term that is suspended pursuant to this paragraph shall be known as mandatory supervision, and, unless otherwise ordered by the court, shall commence upon release from physical custody or an alternative custody program, whichever is later. During the period of mandatory supervision, the defendant shall be supervised by the county probation officer in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures generally applicable to persons placed on probation, for the remaining unserved portion of the sentence imposed by the court. The period of supervision shall be mandatory, and may not be earlier terminated except by court order. Any proceeding to revoke or modify mandatory supervision under this subparagraph shall be conducted pursuant to either subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 1203.2 or Section 1203.3. During the period when the defendant is under that supervision, unless in actual custody related to the sentence imposed by the court, the defendant shall be entitled to only actual time credit against the term of imprisonment imposed by the court. Any time period which is suspended because a person has absconded shall not be credited toward the period of supervision.
(6)The sentencing changes made by the act that added this subdivision shall be applied prospectively to any person sentenced on or after October 1, 2011.
(7)The sentencing changes made to paragraph (5) by the act that added this paragraph shall become effective and operative on January 1, 2015, and shall be applied prospectively to any person sentenced on or after January 1, 2015.
(i)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2022, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends that date.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2018 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan 31, 2018 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| Mar 28, 2017 | In committee: Set, second hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted. |
| Mar 21, 2017 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 22, 2017 | Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Mar 21, 2017 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Feb 27, 2017 | Referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Feb 14, 2017 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 16. |
| Feb 13, 2017 | Read first time. To print. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2017 | Reconsideration. | Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety |
Passed |
|
| Mar 28, 2017 | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety |
Failed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
|
Organization
|
Position
|
Date
|
|---|---|---|
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Of Southern California | * Against | Mar 28, 2017 |
| California Attorneys For Criminal Justice | * Against | Mar 28, 2017 |
| California District Attorneys Association | * Support | Mar 28, 2017 |
| California Public Defenders Association | * Against | Mar 28, 2017 |
| Courage Campaign | ** Against | Mar 27, 2017 |
| Friends Committee On Legislation Of California | * Against | Mar 28, 2017 |
| Root and Rebound Reentry Advocates | ** Against | Mar 27, 2017 |
Date of Hearing:
Counsel: Sandra Uribe
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr., Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 538
Author:(Acosta) – As Amended Ver:March 21, 2017
SUMMARY:
Requires a defendant convicted of a felony or felonies otherwise punishable in the county jail to serve the sentence in state prison if the aggregate term of imprisonment is more than three years.
EXISTING LAW:
- Defines a "felony" as "a crime that is punishable with death, by imprisonment in the state prison, or notwithstanding any other provision of law, by imprisonment in a county jail under [criminal justice realignment]." (Pen. Code, § 17, subd. (a).)
- States that the punishment for a felony not otherwise prescribed is 16 months, or two or three years in state prison, unless the offense is punishable in the county jail pursuant to realignment (Pen. Code, § 18, subd. (a).)
- Prohibits a term of more than one year in the county jail except for executed felony sentences under realignment. (Pen. Code, §19.2.)
- Specifies where the defendant has a prior or current felony conviction for a serious felony, or a prior or current conviction for a violent felony, has a prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction for an offense that has all the elements of a serious felony or a violent felony, or is required to register as a sex offender, or is convicted of a crime and as part of the sentence a specified enhancement is imposed, an executed sentence for a felony shall be served in state prison. (Pen. Code, § 1170, subd. (h)(3).)
- Provides that a felony not specified in the above provision shall be punishable by a term of imprisonment in the county jail. (Pen. Code, § 1170, subds. (h)(1) & (2).)
- Provides that for purposes of county-jail eligibility, any allegation that a defendant is eligible for state prison due to a prior or current conviction, sentence enhancement, or because the defendant is required to register as a sex offender, is not subject to dismissal under Penal Code section 1385. (Pen. Code, § 1170, subd. (f).)
- Designates about 70 felonies as state-prison offenses. (See e.g., Pen. Code, §§ 86 [bribes involving member of the Legislature], 92 [bribes involving judicial officer or juror], 191.5, subd. (c)(1) [gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated], 266i [pandering].)
- Requires the court to suspend execution of a concluding portion of the term of a county-jail-eligible felony sentence for a period selected at the court’s discretion, unless the court finds that in the interests of justice it is not appropriate in a particular case. The suspended part of the sentence is known as mandatory supervision. (Pen. Code, § 1170, subd. (h)(5).)
FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown
COMMENTS:
- Author's Statement: According to the author, “AB 538 will help our struggling county jails that are dealing with overcrowding. Since realignment in 2011, county jails have been forced to house felons with longer felony sentences. The addition of these felony offenders has resulted in the early release of many low level offenders in several of our overcrowded county jails that have federal caps placed on their populations. AB 538 brings some relief to those counties most in need of it and helps to protect our communities against the early release of those who should not qualify for it.”
- Effect on Criminal Justice Realignment: Criminal justice realignment created two classifications of felonies: those punishable in county jail and those punishable in state prison. Realignment limited which felons can be sent to state prison, thus requiring that more felons serve their sentences in county jails. The law applies to qualified defendants who commit qualifying offenses and who were sentenced on or after October 1, 2011. Specifically, sentences to state prison are now mainly limited to registered sex offenders and individuals with a current or prior serious or violent offense. In addition to the serious, violent, registerable offenses eligible for state prison incarceration, there are approximately 70 felonies which have been specifically excluded from eligibility for local custody (i.e., the sentence for which must be served in state prison).
This bill specifies that, regardless of the crime or crimes committed, any defendant who is sentenced to a term of three or more years must serve that sentence in state prison rather than in the county jail. Thus, this bill creates a new exclusion for county-jail eligibility. Under current law, there is no term-based threshold for which felony sentences must be served in prison or jail. - Prison Overcrowding Considerations: In January 2010, a three-judge panel issued a ruling ordering the State of California to reduce its prison population to 137.5% of design capacity because overcrowding was the primary reason that CDCR was unable to provide inmates with constitutionally adequate healthcare. (Coleman/Plata vs. Schwarzenegger (2010) No. Civ S-90-0520 LKK JFM P/NO. C01-1351 THE.) The United State Supreme Court upheld the decision, declaring that “without a reduction in overcrowding, there will be no efficacious remedy for the unconstitutional care of the sick and mentally ill” inmates in California’s prisons. (Brown v. Plata (2011) 131 S.Ct. 1910, 1939; 179 L.Ed.2d 969, 999.)
After continued litigation, on February 10, 2014, the federal court ordered California to reduce its in-state adult institution population to 137.5% of design capacity by February 28, 2016, as follows: 143% of design bed capacity by June 30, 2014; 141.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2015; and, 137.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2016.
CDCR’s February 2017 monthly report on the prison population notes that the in-state adult institution population is currently 114,124 inmates, which amounts to 134.1% of design capacity. This is an increase of 1.1% from February of last year. Additionally, there are still 4,400 prisoners being housed out of state. (http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad1702.pdf )
The Governor’s January proposed budget for 2017-2018 anticipates that “[t]he adult inmate average daily population is projected to decrease from 129,015 in 2016-17 to 128,159 in 2017-18, a decrease of 856 inmates, or 0.7 percent. The average daily parolee population is projected to increase from 43,686 in 2016-17 to 44,761 in 2017-18, an increase of 1,075 parolees, or 2.5 percent. The decrease in the adult inmate population is due to a projected reduction related to the implementation of Proposition 57, the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016, which offsets a projected increase in felon admissions.” (http://ebudget.ca.gov/budget/2017-18/#/Department/5225)
Thus, while CDCR is currently in compliance with the three-judge panel’s order on the prison population, the state needs to maintain a “durable solution” to prison overcrowding “consistently demanded” by the court. (Opinion Re: Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Defendants’ Request For Extension of December 31, 2013 Deadline, NO. 2:90-cv-0520 LKK DAD (PC), 3-Judge Court, Coleman v. Brown, Plata v. Brown (2-10-14).)
The California State Sheriffs’ Association has provided this Committee data from a survey conducted last year regarding numbers of long-term offenders in county jail. A summary of the information collected from 58 counties as of October 2016 noted that there were 1,401 county jail inmates sentenced to 5 to 10 years and 156 county jail inmates sentenced to over 10 years. Based on these numbers, this bill would send over 1500 persons to state prison. Notably, the data from the jail survey does not include persons sentenced to four years, which would be sent back to prison under the provisions of this bill. This bill would significantly impact a durable solution to prison overcrowding. - Reports of Long Jail Felony Sentences: County jails are not particularly well suited to house long-term offenders because they were not originally designed to do so. So, the longer jail sentences resulting from realignment create challenges for some counties, particularly those with pre-realignment, court–imposed population caps.
However, the use of split sentencing permitted under realignment can affect the incidence of long jail felony sentences. When sentencing a defendant on a realigned felony, the court is require to suspend execution of a concluding portion of the term of the sentence for a length of time selected at the court’s discretion, unless the court finds that in the interests of justice it is not appropriate in a particular case. The suspended part of the sentence is known as mandatory supervision. During this time the defendant shall be supervised by the county probation officer in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures generally applicable to persons placed on probation, for the remaining unserved portion of the sentence imposed by the court. The period of supervision cannot be terminated early except by court order. (Pen. Code, § 1170, subd. (h)(5)(B).) An alternative to avoiding some of these lengthy jail sentences without exacerbating the prison overcrowding problem would be to use split sentences with more frequency.
Moreover, setting a limit on county-jail terms, particularly such a low one, may create a perverse incentive to over-charge offenders and to impose longer sentences in order to ensure offenders are sent to state prison. - Practical Considerations: It is unclear how the provisions of the bill are to be implemented if it goes into effect. Would persons currently serving sentences over three years in county jails be relocated to prison, or would it apply prospectively only? What if there are more persons serving these types of sentences than there is bed space in prison? Who chooses which inmates are sent to prison and how? Would this decision-making process raise equal protection concerns? As currently written, this bill lacks important details regarding implementation.
- Funding for Realignment Has Already Been Shifted to Local Governments: Along with the shift, or realignment, of programs, state law realigned revenues to local governments. Specifically, current law shifts a share of the state sales tax, as well as Vehicle License Fee revenue, to local governments. (See Public Safety Realignment Funding Allocation, Legislative Analyst’s Office, May 2014, http://www.lao.ca.gov/handouts/crimjust/2014/Public-Safety-Realignment-051214.pdf.) Additionally, the passage of Proposition 30 by the voters in November 2012, among other changes, guaranteed these revenues to local governments in the future.
In its most recent annual report on the implementation of community corrections partnerships, which create county spending plans, the Board of State and Community Corrections noted, “The state allocates approximately $1 billion annually to the counties to house offenders who the courts previously would have sent to state prison, to supervise them through local probation departments, and to provide programming designed to reduce recidivism.” (Fourth Annual Report on the Implementation of Community Corrections Partnership Plans (July 2016) p. 5, <http://www.bscc.ca.gov/downloads/Fourth%20Annual%20Report%20on%20the%20Implementation%20of%20Community%20Corrections%20Partnership%20Plans.pdf>.)
Would the counties have to return part of their realignment-allotted revenues back to the State, or would the State have to pay twice to incarcerate these individuals because the funding is constitutionally protected? (See Cal. Const., Art. XIII, sec. 36.) - Argument in Support: None submitted.
- Argument in Opposition: According to the California Public Defenders Association, “This bill would needlessly undue much of the highly successful ‘Public Safety Realignment’ Act of 2011, and would re-over-crowd our state prison, thus dashing our hopes to finally ending federal oversight of our prisons.
“Starting in October 2011, the sentences for some 500 California felonies that were not serious nor violent nor sex offenses, became servable in county jail for more than 16 months, instead of state prisons. This reserved state prison for serious, violent, and sex offenders. The most important purpose of this Public Safety Realignment was to encourage local rehabilitation of those lesser offenders. A second purpose was to end prison overcrowding as mandated by the United States Supreme Court. Both purposes are being accomplished, and then end of federal supervision of our prisons is in sight.
“This bill would end both purposes. This bill would say that any felony sentence longer than three years must be served in state prison, even if the offense was not serious, not violent, and not a sex offense. Once again, our prisons would be housing people who do not belong there. By again sending to our prisons people who don’t belong there, we will be extending federal oversight of our prisons, and letting the federal courts, rather than our own state law, decide who gets released. There is no need to do either. AB 538 should not become law.” - Related Legislation: SB 670 (Jackson) would require the sentencing court, when imposing a sentence to be served in county jail under realignment, which is to be served concurrently or consecutively to another realigned sentence in a different county, to determine the county of incarceration and supervision. SB 670 is pending hearing in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
- Prior Legislation:
- AB 1449 (V.M. Perez), of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session, as introduced, would have limited the scope of the 2011 Criminal Justice Realignment Act by, in part, requiring a defendant sentenced to a term of more than seven years to serve the term in the state prison rather than jail,. AB 1449 was amended to delete this provision.
- SB 225 (Emmerson), of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session, was identical to this bill. SB 225 failed passage in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
- SB 957 (Vidak), of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session, would have required a defendant who is sentenced to an aggregate term of 10 years or more to serve his or her sentence in state prison. SB 957 failed passage in the Senate Public Safety Committee.
- AB 109 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 15, Statutes of 2011, enacted Criminal Justice Realignment which, among other things, limited which felons could be sent to state prison, and required that more felons serve their sentences in county jails.
- AB 1449 (V.M. Perez), of the 2013-2014 Legislative Session, as introduced, would have limited the scope of the 2011 Criminal Justice Realignment Act by, in part, requiring a defendant sentenced to a term of more than seven years to serve the term in the state prison rather than jail,. AB 1449 was amended to delete this provision.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California District Attorneys Association
Opposition
American Civil Liberties Union
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
California Public Defenders Association
Courage Campaign
Friends Committee on Legislation of California
Root and Rebound Reentry Advocates
Analysis Prepared by:
Sandy Uribe / PUB. S. /
Discussed in Hearing
Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):