Bill Text: CA AB696 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: County juvenile facilities: pepper spray.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB696 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB696-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 26, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 696


Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey

February 19, 2019


An act to amend Section 727 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, add Section 6034 to the Penal Code, relating to juveniles.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 696, as amended, Lackey. Juveniles: wards. County juvenile facilities: pepper spray.
Existing law requires the Board of State and Community Corrections to adopt minimum standards for the operation and maintenance of juvenile halls for the confinement of minors. Existing law requires the judge of the juvenile court of the county to annually inspect any jail or juvenile hall that was used for the confinement of any minor and to notify the operator of the jail or juvenile hall of any observed noncompliance with the minimum standards of the juvenile facility adopted by the board.
This bill would require the board to contract with a research entity to conduct a study on the efficacy and impacts of the use of pepper spray in juvenile halls and juvenile ranches, camps, and forestry camps. The bill would require the research entity to satisfy specified requirements, including that it has not previously taken a policy position on, or made recommendations regarding, the use of pepper spray in juvenile facilities, and require the study to examine, at a minimum, specified topics, including the impacts of pepper spray on youth in county juvenile facilities. The bill would require the research entity to submit the study to the board, the Assembly Public Safety Committee, and the Senate Public Safety Committee by January 1, 2022.

Existing law provides that any person under 18 years of age who commits a crime is within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, except as specified. After finding a minor or nonminor to be a ward of the court under those provisions, the juvenile court may make any reasonable orders for the care, supervision, custody, conduct, maintenance, and support of the minor or nonminor, including medical treatment.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

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

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 6034 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

6034.
 (a) The Board of State and Community Corrections shall contract with a research entity to conduct a study on the efficacy and impacts of the use of pepper spray in juvenile halls, as defined in Section 850 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and juvenile ranches, camps, and forestry camps, as described in Section 881 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b) The research entity contracted with pursuant to subdivision (a) shall satisfy all of the following requirements:
(1) Has the ability to work in a national scope.
(2) Has a research focus on institutional care for youth.
(3) Is nonpartisan.
(4) Has not previously taken a policy position on, or made recommendations regarding, the use of pepper spray in juvenile facilities.
(c) The study shall examine, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) The impacts of pepper spray on youth in county juvenile facilities, as described in subdivision (a), in California.
(2) The impacts of pepper spray on institutional staff in county juvenile facilities, as described in subdivision (a), in California.
(3) The use of pepper spray in mitigating physical altercations between one or more youth and between one or more youth and institutional staff.
(4) Best practices for training on the use of pepper spray.
(5) Best practices on de-escalation.
(6) An analysis of the laws relating to, and the outcomes from the use of, pepper spray in other states, including, but not limited to, research conducted in other states relating to these topics.
(d) The research entity shall submit the study to the Board of State and Community Corrections, the Assembly Public Safety Committee, and the Senate Public Safety Committee by January 1, 2022.
(e) For the purposes of this section, “pepper spray” means oleoresin capsicum spray.

SECTION 1.Section 727 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
727.

(a)(1)If a minor or nonminor is adjudged a ward of the court on the ground that the minor or nonminor is a person described by Section 601 or 602, the court may make any reasonable orders for the care, supervision, custody, conduct, maintenance, and support of the minor or nonminor, including medical treatment, subject to further order of the court.

(2)In the discretion of the court, a ward may be ordered to be on probation without supervision of the probation officer. The court, in so ordering, may impose on the ward any and all reasonable conditions of behavior that may be appropriate under this disposition. A minor or nonminor who has been adjudged a ward of the court on the basis of the commission of any of the offenses described in subdivision (b) or paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 707, Section 459 of the Penal Code, or subdivision (a) of Section 11350 of the Health and Safety Code, shall not be eligible for probation without supervision of the probation officer. A minor or nonminor who has been adjudged a ward of the court on the basis of the commission of any offense involving the sale or possession for sale of a controlled substance, except misdemeanor offenses involving marijuana, as specified in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, or of an offense in violation of Section 32625 of the Penal Code, shall be eligible for probation without supervision of the probation officer only when the court determines that the interests of justice would best be served and states reasons on the record for that determination.

(3)In all other cases, the court shall order the care, custody, and control of the minor or nonminor to be under the supervision of the probation officer.

(4)It is the responsibility, pursuant to Section 672(a)(2)(B) of Title 42 of the United States Code, of the probation agency to determine the appropriate placement for the ward once the court issues a placement order. In determination of the appropriate placement for the ward, the probation officer shall consider any recommendations of the child and family. The probation agency may place the minor or nonminor in any of the following:

(A)The approved home of a relative or the approved home of a nonrelative, extended family member, as defined in Section 362.7. If a decision has been made to place the minor in the home of a relative, the court may authorize the relative to give legal consent for the minor’s medical, surgical, and dental care and education as if the relative caregiver were the custodial parent of the minor.

(B)A foster home, the approved home of a resource family as defined in Section 16519.5, or a home or facility in accordance with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.).

(C)A suitable licensed community care facility, as identified by the probation officer, except a runaway and homeless youth shelter licensed by the State Department of Social Services pursuant to Section 1502.35 of the Health and Safety Code.

(D)A foster family agency, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 11400 and paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code, in a suitable certified family home or with a resource family.

(E)A minor or nonminor dependent may be placed in a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program as defined in subdivision (ad) of Section 11400 and paragraph (18) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code. The placing agency shall also comply with requirements set forth in paragraph (9) of subdivision (e) of Section 361.2, which includes, but is not limited to, authorization, limitation on length of stay, extensions, and additional requirements related to minors. For youth 13 years of age and older, the chief probation officer of the county probation department, or their designee, shall approve the placement if it is longer than 12 months, and no less frequently than every 12 months thereafter.

(F)(i)Every minor adjudged a ward of the juvenile court shall be entitled to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. A state or local regulation or policy shall not prevent, or create barriers to, participation in those activities. Each state and local entity shall ensure that private agencies that provide foster care services to wards have policies consistent with this section and that those agencies promote and protect the ability of wards to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. A short-term residential therapeutic program or a group home administrator, a facility manager, or their responsible designee, and a caregiver, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04, shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04, in determining whether to give permission for a minor residing in foster care to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. A short-term residential therapeutic program or a group home administrator, a facility manager, or their responsible designee, and a caregiver shall take reasonable steps to determine the appropriateness of the activity taking into consideration the minor’s age, maturity, and developmental level. For every minor placed in a setting described in subparagraphs (A) through (E), inclusive, age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities shall include access to computer technology and the Internet.

(ii)A short-term residential therapeutic program or a group home administrator, facility manager, or their responsible designee, is encouraged to consult with social work or treatment staff members who are most familiar with the minor at the group home in applying and using the reasonable and prudent parent standard.

(G)For nonminors, an approved supervised independent living setting as defined in Section 11400, including a residential housing unit certified by a licensed transitional housing placement provider.

(5)The minor or nonminor shall be released from juvenile detention upon an order being entered under paragraph (3), unless the court determines that a delay in the release from detention is reasonable pursuant to Section 737.

(b)(1)To facilitate coordination and cooperation among agencies, the court may, at any time after a petition has been filed, after giving notice and an opportunity to be heard, join in the juvenile court proceedings any agency that the court determines has failed to meet a legal obligation to provide services to a minor, for whom a petition has been filed under Section 601 or 602, to a nonminor, as described in Section 303, or to a nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400. In any proceeding in which an agency is joined, the court shall not impose duties upon the agency beyond those mandated by law. The purpose of joinder under this section is to ensure the delivery and coordination of legally mandated services to the minor. The joinder shall not be maintained for any other purpose. Nothing in this section shall prohibit agencies that have received notice of the hearing on joinder from meeting prior to the hearing to coordinate services.

(2)The court has no authority to order services unless it has been determined through the administrative process of an agency that has been joined as a party, that the minor, nonminor, or nonminor dependent is eligible for those services. With respect to mental health assessment, treatment, and case management services pursuant to an individualized education program developed pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 56320) of Chapter 4 of Part 30 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, the court’s determination shall be limited to whether the agency has complied with that chapter.

(3)For the purposes of this subdivision, “agency” means any governmental agency or any private service provider or individual that receives federal, state, or local governmental funding or reimbursement for providing services directly to a child, nonminor, or nonminor dependent.

(c)If a minor has been adjudged a ward of the court on the ground that the minor is a person described in Section 601 or 602, and the court finds that notice has been given in accordance with Section 661, and if the court orders that a parent or guardian shall retain custody of that minor either subject to or without the supervision of the probation officer, the parent or guardian may be required to participate with that minor in a counseling or education program, including, but not limited to, parent education and parenting programs operated by community colleges, school districts, or other appropriate agencies designated by the court.

(d)(1)The juvenile court may direct any reasonable orders to the parents and guardians of the minor who is the subject of any proceedings under this chapter as the court deems necessary and proper to carry out subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), including orders to appear before a county financial evaluation officer, to ensure the minor’s regular school attendance, and to make reasonable efforts to obtain appropriate educational services necessary to meet the needs of the minor.

(2)If counseling or other treatment services are ordered for the minor, the parent, guardian, or foster parent shall be ordered to participate in those services, unless participation by the parent, guardian, or foster parent is deemed by the court to be inappropriate or potentially detrimental to the minor.

(e)The court may, after receipt of relevant testimony and other evidence from the parties, affirm or reject the placement determination. If the court rejects the placement determination, the court may instruct the probation department to determine an alternative placement for the ward, or the court may modify the placement order to an alternative placement recommended by a party to the case after the court has received the probation department’s assessment of that recommendation and other relevant evidence from the parties.

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