California Crimes Toolkit

Between 2014-2021, California advocates have blazed new trails, advocating and passing a state reform agenda that lifts up the needs of citizens and noncitizens.  This toolkit discusses some of CA’s crim/imm legislative reform efforts. Each section contains a discussion with the bill’s primary lead including reflections about compromises and mistakes we wish we hadn’t made. We include draft legislation, opeds, and media, to assist advocates across the country.

1. Deferred Entry of Judgment: Pretrial Diversion, Preventing Unintended Immigration Consequences for Certain Pending and Future Drug Offenses (AB 208) 
   1. Summary 
   2. Original Statutory Language
   3. Model Statutory Language
   4. Fact Sheet
   5. Support Letters
   6. Media Articles
   7. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   8. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ
2. Eliminating the Unintended Immigration Consequences of Prior Post-Please Diversion Program Dispositions, Penal Code §1203.43 (AB 1352)
   1. Summary 
   2. Response of Immigration Authorities 
   3. Original Statutory Language
   4. Model Statutory Language
   5. Fact Sheet
   6. Support Letters
   7. Media Articles
   8. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   9. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ
3. Misdemeanor Sentencing, Penal Code 18.5 (SB 1310 & SB 1242) 
   1. Summary 
   2. Why Was This Needed? 
   3. Litigation: Board of Immigration Appeals' Response to Pen § 18.5(A)
   4. Original Statutory Language
   5. Model Statutory Language
   6. Fact Sheet
   7. Media Articles
   8. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   9. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ
4. Post-Conviction Relief, Penal Code §1473.7 (AB 813) 
   1. Summary 
   2. Original Statutory Language
   3. Model Statutory Language
   4. Infographic
   5. Media Articles
   6. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   7. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ
5. One California Program Funding for Removal Defense & Post-Conviction Relief
   1. Summary 
   2. Original Statutory Language
   3. Model Statutory Language
   4. Media Articles
   5. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   6. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ
6. Codifying Case Law to Ensure Due Process for Immigrant Defendants, Penal Code §§ 1016.2 & 1016.3 (AB 1343)
   1. Summary 
   2. Original Statutory Language
   3. Model Statutory Language
   4. Fact Sheet
   5. Support Letter
   6. Media Articles
   7. Examples of Other States' Similar Laws
   8. Story of the Bill - Interview/FAQ