Bill > SB483

This bill amends the existing mental health diversion law in California's Penal Code to clarify and slightly modify the procedures for diverting eligible defendants with mental health disorders from traditional criminal prosecution. Specifically, the bill requires that when a court considers mental health diversion for a defendant, the court must be satisfied that the recommended mental health treatment program is consistent with the underlying purpose of mental health diversion and will meet the defendant's specialized treatment needs. The bill also modifies the language around how defendants and courts agree to treatment plans, emphasizing that the defendant must agree that the recommended treatment plan will meet their specialized needs. The mental health diversion program allows certain defendants with diagnosed mental health conditions who commit offenses potentially related to their condition to receive mental health treatment instead of criminal prosecution, with the possibility of having their charges ultimately dismissed upon successful completion of the treatment program. The bill maintains existing restrictions on which types of serious offenses are ineligible for diversion and keeps the core framework of the original mental health diversion law intact, making primarily technical and clarifying modifications to the existing statute.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB483