CaliforniaCounties would track public defense services for state reports
After the Legislature provides funding, counties would track public defense services and report the information every two years for a state summary.
What it does
Each county would name an oversight contact and collect information about its public defense system, including staffing, spending, case assignments and compensation.
The State Public Defender’s office would post a public summary of the county data it receives, using reporting procedures that account for differences among counties.
Argument forA public summary could help residents and lawmakers compare how counties assign cases, staff defense offices and spend public defense money.
Argument againstCounties may need staff time to track budgets, staffing, cases and pay arrangements, which could draw effort from other local work.
More detail
Each county board of supervisors must name an oversight contact and gather information about public defense services. The information covers each county’s public defender, alternate public defender and private attorney systems, including combinations of those systems. These requirements take effect only after the Legislature appropriates money for them.
The Office of the State Public Defender must post a summary report of the information it receives. The report covers data counties submit about their public defense services. The office’s reporting procedures must account for structural differences between counties. The office’s report requirement begins with county reporting every two years starting January 1, 2029, and applies only after a legislative appropriation for these purposes.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 629, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6651.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2605 Arambula Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2605 Arambula et al. By Cortese. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 26In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 2Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 1From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 30).Major
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and PUB. S.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2605 Arambula Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 5485.)Passed Assembly
- May 19Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 18Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- May 14From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 5030.)
- May 13In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 22Coauthors revised.
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 16From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Apr 15
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Apr 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 19Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
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