BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1489 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 8, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair SB 1489 (Harman) - As Amended: June 26, 2012 Policy Committee: Public SafetyVote:4-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill: 1)Authorizes a court to order the destruction of exhibits in a death penalty case one year after the death of defendant awaiting execution. 2)Deletes paper exhibits from the definition of a court record. FISCAL EFFECT Minor state trial court savings. COMMENTS Rationale. The author's stated intent is to provide state trial courts with an opportunity for minor savings. According to the author, "Within California there are more than 724 inmates condemned to death row. To date, there have been 14 executions and 82 non-execution deaths. This situation forces California courts to bear tremendous financial burden to continue to store and preserve physical exhibits and records, while wrestling with a disparity in the law. "Unless the specific item has future evidentiary value, there is no reason to hold onto it once the case has been disposed. In some instances, evidence can include mannequins to be used as models; stolen property; hazardous waste, residuals, etc." SB 1489 Page 2 Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081