New California Criminal Laws: Part Deux

To conclude the series, here’s the fab five we promised last week.

Kids age 15 or younger must talk to a lawyer before the police interrogate them. This is Senate Bill 395. It amended the Welfare and Institutions Code to require that kids consult a lawyer before they waive their Miranda rights. They can do the consultation in person, by phone, or by video, but they can’t waive it even if they want to. If they don’t get one, a court may exclude their statements from evidence at trial (if it gets there). But it may not as well. And there are exceptions for emergencies. The law expires on January 1, 2025.

Kids whose juvenile cases are dismissed or diverted get their records sealed. This is Assembly Bill 529. It amended the Welfare and Institutions Code to seal records from a juvenile case automatically if the case is dismissed or the kid successfully completes a diversion program. It takes these cases and treats them the same as another recent law that applies when kids complete probation.

More kids get a crack at sealing their records. This is Senate Bill 312. It amended the Welfare and Institutions Code to give kids who weren’t even eligible before a chance. It applies if you were found to have committed an especially serious or violent offense when you were at least 14 years old. Now, a court may consider your petition to seal under limited circumstances. It doesn’t apply if you were required to register as a sex offender. And your records can still be looked at by the courts or district attorney if you get in trouble again. For more on sealing juvenile records, see here.

The state continues to implement Prop 57. Remember Prop 57? It required judges to decide whether a kid age 14 or older could be prosecuted in adult court, and it promised a shot at parole for nonviolent offenders who’ve served the bulk of their sentence. But it also aimed to expand the credits an inmate could earn through good conduct or specific rehabilitative programs. Now, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is finalizing its regulations under Prop 57, and you can find more information about them here.

Your Uber, Lyft, or taxi driver can’t have a blood-alcohol level more than .04. This is Assembly Bill 2687, which passed in 2016. It amends the Vehicle Code to apply the lower limit for truckers and other commercial drivers. The law is effective July 1, 2018.