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Bills

AB 1647: Juveniles: transfer to criminal court: criminal procedure.

  • Session Year: 2025-2026
  • House: Assembly
  • Latest Version Date: 2026-04-15

Current Status:

In Progress

(2026-04-16: Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.)

Introduced

In Committee

First Chamber

In Committee

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

Existing law, as amended by the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016, enacted by Proposition 57 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes the district attorney to make a motion to transfer a minor from juvenile court to a court of criminal jurisdiction in a case in which a minor is alleged to have committed a felony when the minor was 16 years of age or older, or in a case in which a specified serious offense is alleged to have been committed by a minor when the minor was 14 or 15 years of age, but the minor was not apprehended prior to the end of juvenile court jurisdiction. Existing case law prohibits the use of a minors statements made at a transfer hearing or to a probation officer from being used during a criminal prosecution of the minor transferred to the court of criminal jurisdiction.

This bill would codify existing case law to prohibit the use of the minors statements made during a transfer hearing or to the minors probation officer from being used against the minor during subsequent juvenile proceedings or subsequent criminal proceedings, as specified. This bill would state that the provisions of this bill are declaratory of existing law.

Existing law, as amended by the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016, enacted by Proposition 57 at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, authorizes the district attorney or other prosecuting officer to make a motion to transfer a minor from juvenile court to a court of criminal jurisdiction in a case in which a minor is alleged to have committed a felony when the minor was 16 years of age or older, or in a case in which a specified serious offense is alleged to have been committed by a minor when the minor was 14 or 15 years of age, but the minor was not apprehended prior to the end of juvenile court jurisdiction. Under existing law, in order to find that the minor should be transferred to a court of criminal jurisdiction, the court is required to find by clear and convincing evidence that the minor is not amenable to rehabilitation while under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. This bill would instead require that the court find beyond a reasonable doubt that the minor is not amenable to rehabilitation while under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in order to find that the minor should be transferred to a court of criminal jurisdiction. By increasing the number of minors retained under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, thereby increasing the number of minors who are entitled to county-funded rehabilitative services, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.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.

News Coverage:

AB 1647: Juveniles: transfer to criminal court: criminal procedure. | Digital Democracy