Amended in Assembly April 7, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 267


Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

February 10, 2015


An act to add Section 858.2 to the Penal Code, relating to criminal procedure.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 267, as amended, Jones-Sawyer. Criminal procedure: disclosure: felony conviction consequences.

Existing law requires, when a defendant is brought before a magistrate upon arrest, on a charge of having committed a public offense, the magistrate to immediately inform the defendant of the charge against him or her and the defendant’s right to counsel at every stage of the proceedings. Existing law requires the court to inform the defendant that there are certain provisions of law specifically designed for individuals who have active duty or veteran status and who have been charged with a crime.

This bill would require the court,begin delete when the defendant first appears for arraignment on a felony charge,end deletebegin insert prior to acceptance of a guilty or nolo contendere plea to a felony offense,end insert to inform the defendant thatbegin delete accepting a plea or sufferingend delete a conviction for a felonybegin delete resultsend deletebegin insert may resultend insert in various consequences, including, among others, the loss of certain professional licenses, prohibitions against owning or possessing a firearm, and ineligibility for enlisting in the military.begin insert The bill would make a legislative finding that the failure to provide this advisement with respect to pleas accepted prior to January 1, 2016, would not be cause to vacate a judgment or require the withdrawal of a plea, or find a conviction invalid.end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 858.2 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

2

858.2.  

begin deleteWhen the defendant first appears for arraignment on a
3felony charge, end delete
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertPrior to acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo
4contendere to any offense punishable as a felony under state law,end insert

5 the court shall inform the defendant thatbegin delete accepting a plea or
6sufferingend delete
a conviction for a felonybegin delete myend deletebegin insert offense mayend insert result in various
7consequences to the defendant, including, but not limited to, the
8following:

begin delete

9(a)

end delete

10begin insert(1)end insert Experiencing difficulty in obtaining employment generally,
11and prohibited from employment in certain jobs.

begin delete

12(b)

end delete

13begin insert(2)end insert The loss of voting rights while incarcerated and during
14parole.

begin delete

15(c)

end delete

16begin insert(3)end insert Ineligibility for enlisting in the military.

begin delete

17(d)

end delete

18begin insert(4)end insert The loss of certain professional licenses, or the loss of the
19ability to obtain certain professional licenses.

begin delete

20(e)

end delete

21begin insert(5)end insert Ineligibility for serving on a jury.

begin delete

22(f)

end delete

23begin insert(6)end insert Ineligibility to own or possess a firearm.

begin delete

24(g)

end delete

25begin insert(7)end insert Ineligibility for federal health care programs if the felony
26is related to fraud involving a federal program, patient abuse, or
27drugs.

begin delete

28(h)

end delete

29begin insert(8)end insert Ineligibility for becoming a United States citizen.

begin delete

30(i)

end delete

31begin insert(9)end insert Loss of federal financial aid if the felony was committed
32while the defendant was receiving financial aid.

begin delete

33(j)

end delete

P3    1begin insert(10)end insert Foreign travel restrictions.

begin delete

2(k)

end delete

3begin insert(11)end insert Ineligibility for federal cash assistance if the felony is
4drug-related.

begin delete

5(l)

end delete

6begin insert(12)end insert Restrictions on receiving Supplemental Security Income.

begin delete

7(m)

end delete

8begin insert(13)end insert Potential diminished parental and child custody rights.

begin insert

9(b) With respect to a plea accepted prior to January 1, 2016, it
10is not the intent of the Legislature that a court’s failure to provide
11the advisement required by subdivision (a) should require the
12vacation of judgment and withdrawal of the plea, or constitute
13grounds for finding a prior conviction invalid.

end insert


O

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