BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó







                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
                            Senator Loni Hancock, Chair              A
                             2013-2014 Regular Session               B

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          AB 2186 (Lowenthal)                                        6
          As Amended April 21, 2014 
          Hearing date:  June 10, 2014
          Penal Code
          JM:mc

                 PERSONS INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL OR FACE JUDGMENT  

                                       HISTORY

          Source:   Department of State Hospitals

          Prior Legislation: AB 1907 (Lowenthal) - Ch. 814, Stats. 2012
                       366 (Allen) - Ch. 654, Stats. 2011
                       SB 1794 (Perata) - Ch. 486, Stats. 2004

          Support:  California Association of Psychiatric Technicians;  
          Judicial Council of California;
                    Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; California  
                    State Sheriffs' Association; Taxpayers for Improving  
                    Public Safety

          Opposition:None known

          Assembly Floor Vote:  Ayes 74 - Noes 0


                                      KEY ISSUES
           
          SHOULD A COURT ORDER FOR INVOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATION OF  
          ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION TO AN INCOMPETENT DEFENDANT, AS  
          PRESCRIBED BY THE TREATING PSYCHIATRIST, BE VALID AT ANY  
          FACILITY WHERE THE DEFENDANT IS HOUSED? 




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          SHOULD A DISTRICT ATTORNEY, COUNTY COUNSEL OR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE  
          FACILITY OF COMMITMENT BE AUTHORIZED TO SEEK AN ORDER FOR  
          INVOLUNTARY MEDICATION OF AN INCOMPETENT DEFENDANT, AND SHOULD THE  
          ORDER BE SUBJECT TO RENEWAL WITHIN 60 DAYS OF EXPIRATION?

          WHERE AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE HAS UPHELD THE TREATING  
          PSYCHIATRIST'S CERTIFICATION THAT GROUNDS EXIST FOR INVOLUNTARY  
          MEDICATION OF AN INCOMPETENT DEFENDANT FOR 21 DAYS, SHOULD THE COURT  
          HAVE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THE AUTHORIZATION AND GRANT A CONTINUANCE  
          OF 14 DAYS FOR A FULL HEARING IF GOOD CAUSE IS SHOWN OR THE PARTIES  
          STIPULATE?



                                       PURPOSE

          The purpose of this bill is to 1) direct the court, when  
          considering an order for involuntary medication of a defendant  
          found to be incompetent to stand trial or face punishment, to  
          consider the experts' reports on competency, per se; 2) provide  
          that a court order for involuntary administration of   
          antipsychotic medication is valid in any facility in which the  
          incompetent defendant is housed for purposes of return to  
          competence and resumption of criminal proceedings, if the  
          medication is prescribed by the treating psychiatrist; 3)  
          provide that where an administrative law judge (ALJ) confirms a  
          certification by the treating psychiatrist that an incompetent  
          defendant can be involuntarily medicated for 21 days, the court  
          can continue the ALJ's order for 14 days, pending a full court  
          hearing on the medication issue; and 4) provide that the  
          prosecutor, county counsel or  facility where the defendant is  
          committed can seek a court order for involuntary medication of  
          an incompetent defendant and seek renewal of the order within 60  
          days of expiration. 





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           Existing law  states that a person cannot be tried or adjudged to  
          punishment while he or she is mentally incompetent (IST -  
          incompetent to stand trial).  (Pen. Code § 1367, subd. (a).)

           Existing law  provides that a defendant is incompetent to stand  
          trial where he or she has a mental disorder or developmental  
          disability that renders him or her unable to understand the  
          nature of the criminal proceedings or assist counsel in his or  
          her defense.  (Pen. Code § 1367, subd. (a).)

           Existing law  states that if the court has a doubt as to whether  
          or not a defendant is IST, the court shall state that doubt on  
          the record and shall seek defense counsel's opinion as to the  
          defendant's competence.  (Pen. Code § 1368, subd. (a).)

           Existing law  provides the following hearing procedures to  
          determine whether the defendant is mentally competent or not: 

                 The court shall appoint a psychiatrist or psychologist  
               to examine the defendant.  If the defendant is not seeking  
               a finding of mental incompetence, the court shall appoint  
               two psychiatrists or psychologists.  The examining expert  
               shall evaluate the nature of the defendant's mental  
               disorder; his or her ability to understand the proceedings  
               or assist counsel in the conduct of a defense; and whether  
               or not treatment with medications is medically appropriate  
               and likely to restore the defendant to competency. 
                 The counsel for the defendant shall offer evidence in  
               support of the allegation of mental incompetence.
                 The prosecution shall present its case regarding the  
               issue of the defendant's present mental competence.  
                 Each party may present rebutting testimony, unless the  
               court, for good reason in furtherance of justice, also  
               permits other evidence in support of the original  
               contention.  (Pen. Code § 1369.)

           Existing law  states that if the defendant is found mentally  
          competent, the criminal process shall resume.  (Pen. Code §  
          1370, subd. (a)(1)(A).)





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           Existing law  states that if the defendant is found IST, the  
          matter shall be suspended until the person becomes mentally  
          competent.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd. (a)(1)(B).)

           Existing law  states that an incompetent defendant charged with a  
          violent felony (Pen. Code 
          § 667.5, subd. (c)) may not be delivered to a state hospital or  
          treatment entity that does not have a secured perimeter or a  
          locked and controlled treatment facility.  The court must  
          determine that public safety will be protected.  (Pen. Code §  
          1370, subd. (a)(1)(D).)
           
           Existing law  states that prior to committing an IST defendant  
          for treatment, the court shall determine whether the defendant  
          consents to the administration of antipsychotic medications.   
          (Pen. Code § 1370, subd.  (a)(2)(B).)

                 If the defendant consents, the commitment order shall  
               confirm that medication may be given to the defendant. 
                 If the defendant does not consent to the administration  
               of medication, the court shall hear and determine whether  
               any of the following is true:

               o      The defendant lacks capacity to make decisions  
                 regarding medication, the defendant's mental disorder  
                 requires treatment with medication, and, if the  
                 defendant's mental disorder is not so treated, it is  
                 probable that serious harm to the physical or mental  
                 health of the patient will result.  Probability of  
                 serious harm is shown by evidence that the defendant is  
                 presently suffering adverse effects to his or her  
                 physical or mental health, or has previously suffered  
                 these effects as a result of a mental disorder and his or  
                 her condition is substantially deteriorating; 
               o      The defendant is a danger to others, in that he or  
                 she has inflicted, attempted to inflict, or made a  
                 serious threat of inflicting substantial physical injury  
                 on another while in custody, or the defendant had  
                 inflicted, attempted to inflict, or made a serious threat  
                 of inflicting such harm on another, for which the  




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                 defendant was taken into custody, and he or she presents,  
                 as a result of mental disorder or mental defect, a  
                 demonstrated danger of inflicting such harm on others.   
                 Demonstrated danger may be based on the defendant's  
                 present mental condition, including a consideration of  
                 behavior within six years of the time the defendant  
                 attempted to inflict, inflicted, or threatened to inflict  
                 substantial physical harm on another, and other relevant  
                 evidence;
               o      The defendant has been charged with a serious crime  
                 against a person or property; involuntary administration  
                 of anti-psychotic medication is substantially likely to  
                 render the defendant competent; the medication is  
                 unlikely to have side effects that interfere with the  
                 defendant's ability to understand the criminal  
                 proceedings or to assist counsel in the conduct of a  
                 defense; less intrusive treatments are unlikely to have  
                 substantially the same results; and anti-psychotic  
                 medication is in the patient's best medical interest in  
                 light of his or her medical condition.  (Pen. Code §  
                 1370, subd.  (a)(2)(B)(ii)(I)-(III).); or,
               o      If the court finds any of these grounds to be true,  
                 the court shall authorize the treatment facility to  
                 involuntarily administer anti-psychotic medication to the  
                 defendant when and as prescribed by the defendant's  
                 treating psychiatrist.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd.   
                 (a)(2)(B)(iii).)
           
          Existing law  includes detailed procedures for review of orders  
          for involuntary antipsychotic medication and to determine  
          whether a person committed as IST without a medication order  
          should be medicated.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd.  (a)- (h).)

           Existing law  provides that where an IST in treatment withdraws  
          consent for administration of antipsychotic medication, or if  
          involuntary medication was not ordered upon commitment, and the  
          treating psychiatrist believes that grounds for involuntary  
          medication exist, the following shall occur:

                 The treating psychiatrist may issue a certificate for  




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               administration of medication for up to 21 days, until a  
               hearing before a court can be held.
                 The IST defendant shall have the right to a medication  
               review hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ)  
               within 72 hours.
                 If the ALJ agrees that grounds for involuntary  
               administration of medication exist, the involuntary  
               medication may continue until a court hearing on the issue  
               can be held. 
                 If the ALJ finds that grounds for involuntary  
               administration of medication have not been established,  
               medication may not be involuntarily administered until a  
               court decides the issue.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd.  
               (a)(2)(C)-(D).)

           Existing law  provides that if the ALJ upholds the certification  
          by the treating psychiatrist for involuntary medication of the  
          defendant for 21 days, the psychiatrist shall file with the  
          court a copy of the certification and a petition for an order  
          authorizing involuntary medications:  

                 The court shall provide notice to the prosecutor and  
               counsel for the defendant of the pending hearing.
                 The court shall hold the hearing within 18 days of the  
               issuance of the certification and determine if a formal  
               order for involuntary medication should be made.
                 The court shall issue its decision within three calendar  
               days, but no later than the expiration of the 21-day  
               certification period.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd. (a)(2)(D).)

           This bill  requires the court, when determining if grounds exist  
          for ordering involuntary administration of antipsychotic  
          medication to an IST defendant, to consider the reports prepared  
          by the psychiatrist or psychologist who examined the defendant  
          for mental competency purposes, per se, if those reports are  
          applicable to the involuntary medication issue.

           This bill  provides that an order for involuntary medication  
          shall remain valid at any facility housing the defendant for  
          purposes of return to competency and resumption of criminal  




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          proceedings, if the medication is prescribed by the defendant's  
          treating psychiatrist.

           This bill  provides that if an administrative law judge upholds  
          the 21-day certification by the treating psychiatrist that  
          antipsychotic medication has become medically necessary and  
          appropriate while the defendant is being treated, the court may  
          extend the certification and continue the hearing for no more  
          than 14 days, upon a showing of good cause or the stipulation of  
          the parties.

           This bill  allows the district attorney, county counsel, or  
          representative of any facility where a defendant found  
          incompetent to stand trial is committed to petition the court  
          for an order, reviewable as specified, to administer involuntary  
          medication pursuant to specified criteria.

           This bill  requires the court to review the order to administer  
          involuntary medication at the time of the review of the initial  
          competency report by the medical director of the treatment  
          facility and at review of the six-month progress reports.

           This bill  allows the district attorney, county counsel, or  
          representative of any facility where a defendant found  
          incompetent to stand trial is committed, within 60 days before  
          the expiration of the one-year involuntary medication order, to  
          petition the committing court for a renewal of the order,  
          subject to the specified conditions and requirements.

                 The petition shall include the basis for involuntary  
               medication, as specified, and requires notice of the  
               petition to be provided to the defendant, the defendant's  
               attorney, and the district attorney.
                 The court shall hear and determine if the defendant  
               continues to meet the required criteria for involuntary  
               medication and that the hearing be conducted before the  
               expiration of the current order.







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                    RECEIVERSHIP/OVERCROWDING CRISIS AGGRAVATION

          For the last several years, severe overcrowding in California's  
          prisons has been the focus of evolving and expensive litigation  
          relating to conditions of confinement.  On May 23, 2011, the  
          United States Supreme Court ordered California to reduce its  
          prison population to 137.5 percent of design capacity within two  
          years from the date of its ruling, subject to the right of the  
          state to seek modifications in appropriate circumstances.   

          Beginning in early 2007, Senate leadership initiated a policy to  
          hold legislative proposals which could further aggravate the  
          prison overcrowding crisis through new or expanded felony  
          prosecutions.  Under the resulting policy, known as "ROCA"  
          (which stands for "Receivership/ Overcrowding Crisis  
          Aggravation"), the Committee held measures that created a new  
          felony, expanded the scope or penalty of an existing felony, or  
          otherwise increased the application of a felony in a manner  
          which could exacerbate the prison overcrowding crisis.  Under  
          these principles, ROCA was applied as a content-neutral,  
          provisional measure necessary to ensure that the Legislature did  
          not erode progress towards reducing prison overcrowding by  
          passing legislation, which would increase the prison population.  
            

          In January of 2013, just over a year after the enactment of the  
          historic Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011, the State of  
          California filed court documents seeking to vacate or modify the  
          federal court order requiring the state to reduce its prison  
          population to 137.5 percent of design capacity.  The State  
          submitted that the, ". . .  population in the State's 33 prisons  
          has been reduced by over 24,000 inmates since October 2011 when  
          public safety realignment went into effect, by more than 36,000  
          inmates compared to the 2008 population . . . , and by nearly  
          42,000 inmates since 2006 . . . ."  Plaintiffs opposed the  
          state's motion, arguing that, "California prisons, which  
          currently average 150% of capacity, and reach as high as 185% of  
          capacity at one prison, continue to deliver health care that is  




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          constitutionally deficient."  In an order dated January 29,  
          2013, the federal court granted the state a six-month extension  
          to achieve the 137.5 % inmate population cap by December 31,  
          2013.  

          The Three-Judge Court then ordered, on April 11, 2013, the state  
          of California to "immediately take all steps necessary to comply  
          with this Court's . . . Order . . . requiring defendants to  
          reduce overall prison population to 137.5% design capacity by  
          December 31, 2013."  On September 16, 2013, the State asked the  
          Court to extend that deadline to December 31, 2016.  In  
          response, the Court extended the deadline first to January 27,  
          2014, and then February 24, 2014, and ordered the parties to  
          enter into a meet-and-confer process to "explore how defendants  
          can comply with this Court's June 20, 2013, Order, including  
          means and dates by which such compliance can be expedited or  
          accomplished and how this Court can ensure a durable solution to  
          the prison crowding problem."

          The parties were not able to reach an agreement during the  
          meet-and-confer process.  As a result, the Court ordered  
          briefing on the State's requested extension and, on February 10,  
          2014, issued an order extending the deadline to reduce the  
          in-state adult institution population to 137.5% design capacity  
          to February 28, 2016.  The order requires the state to meet the  
          following interim and final population reduction benchmarks:

                 143% of design bed capacity by June 30, 2014;
                 141.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2015; and,
                 137.5% of design bed capacity by February 28, 2016. 

          If a benchmark is missed the Compliance Officer (a position  
          created by the February 10, 2016 order) can order the release of  
          inmates to bring the State into compliance with that benchmark.   


          In a status report to the Court dated May 15, 2014, the state  
          reported that as of May 14, 2014, 116,428 inmates were housed in  
          the State's 34 adult institutions, which amounts to 140.8% of  
          design bed capacity, and 8,650 inmates were housed in  




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          out-of-state facilities.   

          The ongoing prison overcrowding litigation indicates that prison  
          capacity and related issues concerning conditions of confinement  
          remain unresolved.  While real gains in reducing the prison  
          population have been made, even greater reductions may be  
          required to meet the orders of the federal court.  Therefore,  
          the Committee's consideration of ROCA bills -bills that may  
          impact the prison population - will be informed by the following  
          questions:

                 Whether a measure erodes realignment and impacts the  
               prison population;
                 Whether a measure addresses a crime which is directly  
               dangerous to the physical safety of others for which there  
               is no other reasonably appropriate sanction; 
                 Whether a bill corrects a constitutional infirmity or  
               legislative drafting error; 
                 Whether a measure proposes penalties which are  
               proportionate, and cannot be achieved through any other  
               reasonably appropriate remedy; and,
                 Whether a bill addresses a major area of public safety  
               or criminal activity for which there is no other  
               reasonable, appropriate remedy.


                                      COMMENTS

          1.  Need for this Bill  

          According to the author:

               Under current law, when a defendant's competency to  
               stand trial is in doubt, he or she is evaluated by a  
               court-appointed mental health expert and a hearing is  
               held on the issue.  If the defendant is found  
               incompetent to stand trial (IST), he or she is  
               typically transferred to a state hospital for  
               treatment to restore competency.  





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               IST defendants are usually held in the county jail  
               pending the transfer to a state hospital.  While the  
               Department of State Hospitals (DSH) has increased  
               treatment capacity, the demand is greater than the  
               supply of beds, with a waiting list of between 300 to  
               350 defendants.  The wait for admission can vary from  
               a couple of weeks to six months.  To address the  
               shortage of treatment beds, DSH has initiated projects  
               for treatment of mentally-ill offenders and IST  
               defendants in county jails, streamlined programs and  
               better aligned reporting requirements.  

               One barrier to lasting competency is the disconnect  
               between a state hospital and county jail systems.   
               Currently, an order for involuntary medication is only  
               valid at a DSH facility and becomes invalid upon  
               return of the defendant to county jail following the  
               restoration of competency.  The defendant may not  
               receive any medication unless local authorities seek a  
               new order from the superior court.  Court congestion  
               can delay new treatment orders or extension of  
               existing orders.  Any gap in medication can result in  
               the defendant decompensating to the point of  
               incompetency once again, necessitating DSH  
               recommitment.  Delays in treatment put the defendant's  
               mental health at risk and result in unnecessary costs  
                                                   to the state for additional DSH treatment.

               In addition, reporting requirements for the  
               defendant's progress and involuntary treatment orders  
               often result in overlapping reporting timelines.   
               Existing law currently requires a report and review of  
               the involuntary treatment orders six months after the  
               order was first issued.  Progress reports for a  
               defendant's competency restoration are also on a  
               six-month timeline.  However, because the two  
               timetables for the two different reports are not  
               synched, reports can be made within days or weeks of  
               each other when they could be aligned.  This bill  
               aligns the reports, providing the court with a  




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               complete analysis.

          2.  Basic Constitutional Issues in Mental Health Commitments  

          Commitment to a mental hospital involves a "massive curtailment  
          of liberty" and creates severe social stigma.  As such, due  
          process is required and proof must be by clear and convincing  
          evidence.  (Humphrey v. Cady (1972) 405 U.S. 504, 509; Addington  
          v. Texas (1978) 441 U.S. 418, 425-433.)  However, "consistent  
          with 'substantive' due process ? the state may involuntarily  
          commit persons who, as the result of mental impairment, are  
          unable to care for themselves or are dangerous to others.  Under  
          these circumstances, the state's interest in providing treatment  
          and protecting the public prevails over the individual's  
          interest in being free from compulsory confinement."  (Hubbart  
          v. Superior Court (1999) 19 Cal.4th 1138, 1151, citing Addington  
          and other cases.)  

          3.    Prohibition on Trial or Punishment of Incompetent Persons -  
          Principles and Issues  

          The principles underlying the law concerning IST defendants are  
          different from, but related to, the due process interests at  
          stake in involuntary mental health treatment, per se.  A person  
          is IST if a mental disorder renders him or her incapable of  
          understanding the charges or assisting in his 

          or her defense.  (Pen. Code § 1367, subd. (a).)  Convicting or  
          adjudging to punishment a person who is IST violates due process  
          and must be reversed or vacated.  (Drope v. Missouri (1975) 420  
          U.S. 160, 179-183; Pate v. Robinson (1966) 383 U.S. 375,  
          383-386.)  Proceeding or findings in any critical portion of a  
          criminal case are invalid if the defendant was incompetent,  
          including preliminary hearing and imposition of sentence.   
          (People v. Humphrey (1975) 45 Cal.App.3d 32, 36, 38 People v.  
          Duncan (2000) 78 Cal.App.4th 765, 772.)

          4.  United States Supreme Court Decision Setting Constitutional  
            Requirements in Cases of Involuntary Administration of  
            Anti-psychotic Medication to Prison Inmates 




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          In Washington v. Harper (1990) 494 U.S. 210, the U.S. Supreme  
          Court held that involuntary administration of anti-psychotic  
          medication to a prison inmate must be consistent with Fourteenth  
          Amendment due process, including the following: 1) If a  
          psychiatrist determines that the inmate needs anti-psychotic  
          medication, but the inmate does not consent, the state may  
          involuntary medicate the inmate only if he or she has a mental  
          disorder, and is gravely disabled or poses a danger to self or  
          others; 2) the inmate is entitled to a hearing before a  
          committee of health professionals not involved in his or her  
          treatment to determine if the required ground for involuntary  
          medication exists; 3) the inmate is entitled to an explanation  
          of why the medication is necessary; and 4) the inmate is  
          entitled to present evidence and cross-examine staff witnesses  
          and the assistance of a knowledgeable lay advisor who has not  
          been involved in the inmate's case. (Ibid.)  Fourth, there must  
          be periodic review of the order. (Id., at pp. 215-216.)

          5.  Sell v. United States - 2003 United States Supreme Court Case  
            on Involuntary Medication of IST Defendants  

          Sell concerned Charles Sell, a dentist with a history of mental  
          illness.  Sell was charged with insurance fraud, found to be  
          competent and released on bail.  Bail was revoked when Sell  
          threatened a witness.  When he was charged with attempted  
          murder, Sell moved for reconsideration of the finding that he  
          was competent and was found IST.  After two months he refused  
          anti-psychotic medication and hospital staff sought judicial  
          authorization to medicate him.  It appears that Sell, unlike  
          many mentally ill defendants, had capacity to make medical  
          decisions.  The court found that Sell was not currently  
          dangerous and could not be involuntarily medicated on that  
          basis.

          SB 1794 (Perata) Ch. 486, Stats. 2004 adapted the Sell standards  
          to the California IST law.  Involuntary administration of  
          anti-psychotic medication to IST defendants is allowed if one of  
          the following is shown:  





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                 The defendant is a danger to self or others.
                 The defendant is gravely disabled.
                 The defendant faces trial for a serious offense against  
               a person or property.  (Pen. Code. 
               § 1370, subd. (a)(2)(B)(ii)(I)-(III).)







































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          For each of these grounds, the court must also find that the  
          medication is necessary and appropriate and that less intrusive  
          means or treatment are not effective.  Where the medication is  
          given to render a person competent for trial on a serious  
          offense, the court must find that the 
          medication is unlikely to have side effects that would interfere  
          with the defendant's ability to understand the criminal  
          proceedings and assist counsel.  (Pen. Code § 1370, subd.  
          (a)(2)(B)(ii)(III).)

          6.  Related Pending Bills:  SB 1412 (Nielsen) and AB 2625  
          (Achadjian)  

          There are currently two other related bills that make  
          significant changes to the law governing persons who are  
          incompetent to stand trial or adjudged to punishment.  These  
          include AB 2526 (Achadjian) and SB 1412 (Nielsen).  SB 1412 is  
          pending in the Assembly and AB 2526 is set for hearing on June  
          10, 2014, in this Committee with this bill.

          SB 1412 is sponsored by the California District Attorneys  
          Association, which consulted with the Judicial Council to craft  
          and amend the bill.  SB 1412 applies IST laws to cases involving  
          persons on supervision under realignment, including those on  
          mandatory supervision after serving the custody portion of a  
          split sentence, former prison inmates on post release community  
          supervision, and parolees supervised by state parole agents, but  
          subject to revocation of parole by courts.  The bill also  
          formally extends IST laws to persons on probation, many of whom  
          have been convicted of a crime but not yet adjudged to  
          punishment because the sentencing court stayed imposition of  
          judgment and sentence.  There are thousands of persons on these  
          forms of supervision, but there is no law that specifically  
          governs IST procedures for them.  However, subjecting an  
          incompetent person on supervision to a revocation hearing and  
          imposing penalties for a violation of the conditions of release  
          violates the federal constitution.   

          AB 2625 concerns IST defendants in treatment who are not likely  
          to regain competence.  The bill requires that an IST defendant  




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          be returned from the treating facility to the committing court  
          within 10 days of a receipt by the court of a report concluding  
          that he or she is not likely to regain competence in the time  
          authorized by statute.  The bill also requires the treatment  
          facility director to notify the sheriff that the defendant needs  
          transportation to court and notify the prosecutor and defense  
          counsel of the report.  Finally, AB 2625 requires that an IST  
          defendant be returned to court no later than 90 days prior to  
          expiration of the time authorized for treatment.  It appears  
          that the bill is largely intended to increase capacity in DSH  
          facilities and eliminate the unnecessary cost of futile  
          treatment.  The bill would also likely expedite the  
          consideration by the court of the need for establishing a  
          conservatorship for an IST defendant who is gravely disabled or  
          a danger to self or others. 

          7.  Suggested Amendment to Provision Concerning Administration of  
            Medication by Treating Psychiatrist in any Facility in which  
            the Defendant is Housed  

          Under existing law, an involuntary medication order is valid  
          only at the facility where the incompetent defendant has been  
          committed for treatment.  Thus, it is understood that the order  
          is invalid upon the defendant's return to the county of  
          commitment for resumption of criminal proceedings, where he or  
          she will typically be housed in the jail.  A major goal of this  
          bill is to provide that the medication order shall remain in  
          effect when the defendant is returned to court.  Where  
          medication is stopped abruptly, the defendant can suffer  
          difficult withdrawal symptoms.  He or she may also decompensate,  
          reversing the progress made in treatment over months or even  
          years.  The entire process may need to be redone.  Medication  
          may not be fully effective in a second round of treatment. 

          The bill provides that the court's medication order shall remain  
          in effect when the medication is prescribed by the defendant's  
          treating psychiatrist at any facility where the defendant is  
          housed for "purposes of this section."<1>  That can be  
          interpreted as meaning only commitment for treatment, including  


          ---------------------------
          <1> Penal Code Section 1370.











                                                        AB 2186 (Lowenthal)
                                                                      PageQ

          involuntary administration of medication where specified grounds  
          are established.  Arguably, once a defendant has been returned  
          to the county of commitment for resumption of criminal  
          proceedings, the defendant is no longer being treated for  
          restoration of competence.  The defendant is being held for  
          trial or sentencing.  Section 1372 specifically concerns the  
          court process that applies where the defendant is returned to  
          competence.  Other relevant sections and provisions may apply.  

          It is suggested that the phrase for "purposes of this section"  
          be amended to state "for purposes of this chapter."  The chapter  
          includes the entire IST process, including evaluation, trial,  
          commitment, treatment, transfer from one facility to another and  
          return to court.

          SHOULD THE BILL BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE THAT AN INVOLUNTARY  
          MEDICATION ORDER SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT WHERE THE MEDICATION IS  
          PRESCRIBED BY HIS OR HER TREATING PSYCHIATRIST AT ANY FACILITY  
          WHERE THE DEFENDANT IS HELD FOR "PURPOSES OF THIS CHAPTER?"  


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