BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 1865
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 2, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    AB 1865 (Alejo) - As Amended:  April 18, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              
          JudiciaryVote:10-0 (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the mandatory court notice sent to each 
          defendant in an unlawful detainer action (eviction case) to also 
          contain the name and telephone number of one or more nonprofit 
          bar associations, if available, that provides legal services to 
          persons in the court where the action is filed and that is duly 
          authorized by the State Bar as a lawyer referral service.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor statewide General Fund costs (less than $10,000) for 
          courts in each of the 58 counties to modify revise the court 
          notice to include qualifying lawyer referral services.

           COMMENTS  

           Background and Purpose  . Current law requires the court notice 
          sent to tenants facing eviction to provide the name and phone 
          number of the county bar association, as well as the name and 
          number of offices or legal service projects providing services 
          to low-income persons in the county where the action was filed. 
          This latter requirement ensures that the notice provide the 
          contact information for at least one legal services provider 
          serving persons in that area other than the county bar 
          association. 

          This bill, sponsored by the Conference of California Bar 
          Associations, requires the court notice to also contain the name 
          and telephone number of one or more nonprofit bar associations 
          also serving in the area. The author contends that providing 
          contact information regarding nonprofit bar associations, 








                                                                  AB 1865
                                                                  Page  2

          authorized by the State Bar as a lawyer referral service, will 
          provide  additional information to tenants seeking legal counsel 
          by about resources available to them.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081