CaliforniaCriminal procedure: indigent defense compensation.
What it does
Existing law grants a defendant the right to counsel in a noncapital case, and requires a defendant to be represented by counsel in a capital case. Existing law requires specified assigned counsel to receive a reasonable sum for compensation and for necessary expenses, as determined by the court, to be paid out of the general fund of the county.
More detail
This bill would, commencing with contracts or memoranda of understanding for indigent defense services entered into after January 1, 2028, revise the process and require a county or court, when contracting for the provision or administration of indigent defense services, to include certain elements in the contract or other agreement for indigent services, as specified. The bill would prohibit a county or court from entering into flat fee contracts, as defined, or per case compensation contracts in cases involving the death penalty or the potential sentence of life without the possibility of parole. The bill would require the structure of the contract for indigent defense services to ensure that attorneys have the resources and time necessary to provide competent legal representation. The bill would require counties that contract with a private entity or law firm to provide indigent defense services to provide all those contracts to the Office of the State Public Defender every 2 years.
The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Where do you stand?
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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 20Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 359, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 20Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 8Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 28Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 59. Noes 11. Page 6802.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 690 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 27In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB690 Schultz By Cervantes. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 11.).Passed Senate
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).Major
- 2025
- Aug 29In committee: Held under submission.
- Jul 14In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 11Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 690 Schultz Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 9. Page 1905.)Passed Assembly
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (May 23).Major
- May 23Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
- Apr 23In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Mar 28Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 27Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 26From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (March 25).Major
- Mar 25
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 19Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Mar 18From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 3Referred to Com. on PUB. S.Minor
- Feb 15From printer. May be heard in committee March 17.
- Feb 14Read first time. To print.Introduced