Bill > AB2122

This bill aims to reform the legal process for infractions, which are minor offenses typically handled with tickets and fines, by significantly limiting the issuance of arrest warrants. Specifically, it proposes to prevent bench warrants, which are court-issued arrest warrants, from being issued when the underlying offense is an infraction, thereby preventing minor violations from escalating into potential jail time. The bill also repeals the misdemeanor charge for failing to pay bail in installments or fines for traffic violations and removes the authorization for arrest warrants in such cases, instead allowing for civil assessments or driver's license impoundment for infractions. Furthermore, it modifies existing laws to ensure that the misdemeanor for failing to appear in court only applies when the underlying charge is not an infraction, and it removes the requirement for courts to report certain convictions to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when the underlying charge is an infraction. The overall intent is to eliminate arrest warrants for infractions, addressing concerns that the current system can lead to a two-tiered justice system and disproportionately impact low-income individuals and minority communities, effectively creating a form of debtor's prison.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2122