AB 811: Juveniles: rights: computing technology.

Existing law, the Youth Bill of Rights, enumerates various rights for youth confined in a facility of the Division of Juvenile Justice, including, among others, the right to maintain frequent and continuing contact with family members and the right to receive a quality education.

This bill would require a youth confined in a facility of the Division of Juvenile Justice, commencing January 1, 2021, to be provided reasonable access to computer technology and the Internet for the purposes of education and maintaining contact with family members. The bill would also require a minor detained in or committed to a juvenile hall or juvenile ranch, camp, or forestry camp, to be provided with reasonable access to computer technology and the Internet for the purposes of education, and would allow him or her to be provided with reasonable access to computer technology and the Internet for the purpose of maintaining relationships with family. The bill would specify that these provisions do not limit the authority of the Director of the Division of Juvenile Justice or the chief probation officer, or his or her designee, to limit or deny reasonable access to computer technology or the Internet for safety and security or staffing reasons. By requiring counties to provide minors in their custody access to computer technology and the Internet, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Under existing law, every child adjudged a dependent child of the juvenile court and every minor adjudged a ward of the juvenile court is entitled to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities.

This bill would require that these age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities include reasonable access to computer technology and the Internet. By requiring counties to provide reasonable access to computer technology and Internet to dependent children and wards of the juvenile court, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 362.05 and 727 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 404 to be operative only if this bill and AB 404 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.