Bill Text: CA AB2545 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2545 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Courts: electronic documents.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-12 - Referred to Com. on PUB. S. [AB2545 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2545-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2545

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

February 19, 2020

An act to amend Section 1203.01 of the Penal Code, relating to courts.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2545, as introduced, Quirk. Courts: electronic documents.

Existing law authorizes specified individuals, including the judge, district attorney, and probation officer, after judgment has been pronounced in a criminal case, to file with the clerk of the court specified statements and reports regarding the person convicted. Existing law requires the clerk to mail these documents, along with charging documents, a copy of waiver and plea forms, and other specified documents, to the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered. Existing law also requires the clerk to, among other things, mail a copy of any statement submitted by the attorney for the defendant to the district attorney.

This bill would authorize the clerk of the court, with consent of the recipient, to deliver these documents by electronic means rather than by mail. The bill would additionally require the clerk, upon written request by a person convicted or by that person’s counsel, to also mail the documents to the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Section 1203.01 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

1203.01.

(a) Immediately after judgment has been pronounced, the judge and the district attorney, respectively, may cause to be filed with the clerk of the court a brief statement of their views respecting the person convicted or sentenced and the crime committed, together with any reports the probation officer may have filed relative to the prisoner. The judge and district attorney shall cause those statements to be filed if no probation officer’s report has been filed. The attorney for the defendant and the law enforcement agency that investigated the case may likewise file with the clerk of the court statements of their views respecting the defendant and the crime of which ~~he or she~~ the defendant was convicted. Immediately after the filing of those statements and reports, the clerk of the court shall mail a copy thereof, certified by that clerk, with postage prepaid, addressed to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered. The clerk shall also mail a copy of any statement submitted by the court, district attorney, or law enforcement agency, pursuant to this section, with postage prepaid, addressed to the attorney for the defendant, if any, and to the defendant, in care of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and a copy of any statement submitted by the attorney for the defendant, with postage prepaid, shall be mailed to the district attorney.

(b) (1) In all cases in which the judgment imposed includes a sentence of death or an indeterminate term with or without the possibility of parole, the clerk shall, within 60 days after judgment has been pronounced, mail with postage prepaid, to the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered, a copy of the charging documents, a copy of waiver and plea forms, if any, the transcript of the proceedings at the time of the defendant’s guilty or nolo contendere plea, if the defendant pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, and the transcript of the proceedings at the time of sentencing.

(2) In all other cases not described in paragraph (1), the clerk shall mail with postage prepaid, to the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered, a copy of the charging documents, a copy of the waiver and plea forms, if any, and upon written request by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or by an inmate, or by ~~his or her~~ the inmate’s counsel, for, among other purposes on a particular case, appeals, review of custody credits and release dates, and restitution orders, the transcript of the proceedings at the time of the defendant’s guilty or nolo contendere plea, if the defendant pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, and the transcript of the proceedings at the time of sentencing.

(c) (1) With the consent of the recipient expressed in writing or orally on the record, the clerk of the court may deliver the documents, or the data contained in the documents, described in subdivisions (a) and (b) by electronic means rather than by mail.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), upon written request by a person convicted or by that person’s counsel, the clerk shall also mail with postage prepaid, to the prison or other institution to which the person convicted is delivered, copies of the documents described in subdivisions (a) and (b).