BILL NUMBER: AB 1276	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  635
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 11, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 18, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 2, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 4, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Santiago
   (Coauthors: Senators Anderson, Block, Cannella, Glazer, Hall,
Hertzberg, Huff, and Mitchell)

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to add Section 1347.1 to the Penal Code, relating to
criminal procedure.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1276, Santiago. Child witnesses: human trafficking.
   Existing law authorizes a court in a criminal proceeding, upon
written notice by the prosecutor made at least 3 days prior to the
date of the preliminary hearing or trial date on which the testimony
of the minor is scheduled or during the course of the proceeding on
the court's own motion, to order that the testimony of a minor 13
years of age or younger at the time of the motion be taken by
contemporaneous examination and cross-examination in another place
and out of the presence of the judge, jury, defendant or defendants,
and attorneys, and communicated to the courtroom by means of
closed-circuit television, if the court makes specified findings. One
of the findings required by existing law requires is that the minor'
s testimony will involve a recitation of the facts of specified
crimes, including an alleged violent felony of which the minor is a
victim.
   This bill would authorize, under specified conditions, a minor 15
years of age or younger to testify by contemporaneous examination and
cross-examination in another place and out of the presence of the
judge, jury, defendant or defendants, and attorneys if the testimony
will involve the recitation of the facts of an alleged offense of
human trafficking.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1347.1 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
   1347.1.  (a) In any criminal proceeding in which a defendant is
charged with a violation of Section 236.1, upon written notice by the
prosecutor made at least three days prior to the date of the
preliminary hearing or trial date on which the testimony of the minor
is scheduled, or during the course of the proceeding on the court's
own motion, may order that the testimony of a minor 15 years of age
or younger at the time of the motion be taken by contemporaneous
examination and cross-examination in another place and out of the
presence of the judge, jury, defendant or defendants, and attorneys,
and communicated to the courtroom by means of closed-circuit
television, if the court makes all of the following findings:
   (1) The minor's testimony will involve a recitation of the facts
of an alleged offense of human trafficking, as defined in Section
236.1.
   (2) (A) The impact on the minor of one or more of the factors
enumerated in clauses (i) to (v), inclusive, is shown by clear and
convincing evidence to be so substantial as to make the minor
unavailable as a witness unless closed-circuit testimony is used.
   (i) Testimony by the minor in the presence of the defendant would
result in the minor suffering serious emotional distress so that the
minor would be unavailable as a witness.
   (ii) The defendant used a deadly weapon in the commission of the
offense.
   (iii) The defendant threatened serious bodily injury to the minor
or the minor's family, threatened incarceration or deportation of the
minor or a member of the minor's family, threatened removal of the
minor from the minor's family, or threatened the dissolution of the
minor's family in order to prevent or dissuade the minor from
attending or giving testimony at any trial or court proceeding, or to
prevent the minor from reporting the alleged sexual offense, or from
assisting in criminal prosecution.
   (iv) The defendant inflicted great bodily injury upon the minor in
the commission of the offense.
   (v) The defendant or his or her counsel behaved during the hearing
or trial in a way that caused the minor to be unable to continue his
or her testimony.
   (B) In making the determination required by this paragraph, the
court shall consider the age of the minor, the relationship between
the minor and the defendant or defendants, any handicap or disability
of the minor, and the nature of the acts charged. The minor's
refusal to testify shall not alone constitute sufficient evidence
that the special procedure described in this section is necessary to
obtain the minor's testimony.
   (3) The equipment available for use of closed-circuit television
would accurately communicate the image and demeanor of the minor to
the judge, jury, defendant or defendants, and attorneys.
   (b) If the court orders the use of closed-circuit television,
two-way closed-circuit television shall be used, except that if the
impact on the minor of one or more of the factors enumerated in
clauses (i) to (v), inclusive, of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2)
of subdivision (a), is shown by clear and convincing evidence to be
so substantial as to make the minor unavailable as a witness even if
two-way closed-circuit television is used, one-way closed-circuit
television may be used. The prosecution shall give the defendant or
defendants at least 30 days' written notice of the prosecution's
intent to seek the use of one-way closed-circuit television, unless
the prosecution shows good cause to the court why this 30-day notice
requirement should not apply.
   (c) (1) The hearing on a motion brought pursuant to this section
shall be conducted out of the presence of the jury.
   (2) Notwithstanding Section 804 of the Evidence Code or any other
law, the court, in determining the merits of the motion, shall not
compel the minor to testify at the hearing, nor shall the court deny
the motion on the ground that the minor has not testified.
   (3) In determining whether the impact on an individual minor of
one or more of the five factors enumerated in clauses (i) to (v),
inclusive, of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is
so substantial that the minor is unavailable as a witness unless
two-way or one-way closed-circuit television is used, the court may
question the minor in chambers, or at some other comfortable place
other than the courtroom, on the record for a reasonable period of
time with the support person, the prosecutor, and defense counsel
present. The defendant or defendants shall not be present. The court
shall conduct the questioning of the minor and shall not permit the
prosecutor or defense counsel to examine the minor. The prosecutor
and defense counsel shall be permitted to submit proposed questions
to the court prior to the session in chambers. Defense counsel shall
be afforded a reasonable opportunity to consult with the defendant or
defendants prior to the conclusion of the session in chambers.
   (d) When the court orders the testimony of a minor to be taken in
another place outside of the courtroom, the court shall do all of the
following:
   (1) Make a brief statement on the record, outside of the presence
of the jury, of the reasons in support of its order. While the
statement need not include traditional findings of fact, the reasons
shall be set forth with sufficient specificity to permit meaningful
review and to demonstrate that discretion was exercised in a careful,
reasonable, and equitable manner.
   (2) Instruct the members of the jury that they are to draw no
inferences from the use of closed-circuit television as a means of
facilitating the testimony of the minor.
   (3) Instruct respective counsel, outside of the presence of the
jury, that they are to make no comment during the course of the trial
on the use of closed-circuit television procedures.
   (4) Instruct the support witness, outside of the presence of the
jury, that he or she is not to coach, cue, or in any way influence or
attempt to influence the testimony of the minor.
   (5) Order that a complete record of the examination of the minor,
including the images and voices of all persons who in any way
participate in the examination, be made and preserved as a video
recording in addition to being stenographically recorded. The video
recording shall be transmitted to the clerk of the court in which the
action is pending and shall be made available for viewing to the
prosecuting attorney, the defendant or defendants, and his or her
attorney during ordinary business hours. The video recording shall be
destroyed after five years have elapsed from the date of entry of
judgment. If an appeal is filed, the video recording shall not be
destroyed until a final judgment on appeal has been ordered. A video
recording that is taken pursuant to this section is subject to a
protective order of the court for the purpose of protecting the
privacy of the witness. This subdivision does not affect the
provisions of subdivision (b) of Section 868.7.
   (e) When the court orders the testimony of a minor to be taken in
another place outside the courtroom, only the minor, a support person
designated pursuant to Section 868.5, a nonuniformed bailiff, any
technicians necessary to operate the closed-circuit equipment, and,
after consultation with the prosecution and the defense, a
representative appointed by the court, shall be physically present
for the testimony. A video recording device shall record the image of
the minor and his or her testimony, and a separate video recording
device shall record the image of the support person.
   (f) When the court orders the testimony of a minor to be taken in
another place outside the courtroom, the minor shall be brought into
the judge's chambers prior to the taking of his or her testimony to
meet for a reasonable period of time with the judge, the prosecutor,
and defense counsel. A support person for the minor shall also be
present. This meeting shall be for the purpose of explaining the
court process to the minor and to allow the attorneys an opportunity
to establish rapport with the minor to facilitate later questioning
by closed-circuit television. A participant shall not discuss the
defendant or defendants or any of the facts of the case with the
minor during this meeting.
   (g) When the court orders the testimony of a minor to be taken in
another place outside the courtroom, this section does not prohibit
the court from ordering the minor to be brought into the courtroom
for a limited purpose, including the identification of the defendant
or defendants as the court deems necessary.
   (h) The examination shall be under oath, and the defendant or
defendants shall be able to see and hear the minor witness, and if
two-way closed-circuit television is used, the defendant's image
shall be transmitted live to the witness.
   (i) This section does not affect the disqualification of witnesses
pursuant to Section 701 of the Evidence Code.
   (j) The cost of examination by contemporaneous closed-circuit
television ordered pursuant to this section shall be borne by the
court out of its existing budget.
   (k) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a defendant
from being represented by counsel during any closed-circuit
testimony.