Bill > AB2450

This bill modifies existing law regarding sentencing by changing how courts can dismiss "enhancements," which are additional penalties added to a base sentence for certain offenses. Previously, courts were generally required to dismiss an enhancement if it was in the interest of justice, unless a specific law prohibited it. This bill makes that requirement inapplicable to certain enhancements related to drug possession and trafficking, meaning courts now have discretion to dismiss these specific drug-related enhancements if they deem it in the interest of justice, but are not obligated to do so, and can still be prohibited from dismissal by initiative statutes. The bill also outlines specific mitigating circumstances that courts must consider and give great weight to when deciding whether to dismiss an enhancement, such as racial impact, multiple enhancements, sentences exceeding 20 years, mental illness, prior victimization or childhood trauma, the offense not being a violent felony, the defendant being a juvenile at the time of the offense, or the prior conviction being over five years old, unless dismissing the enhancement would endanger public safety.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2450