SB 281

This bill updates California law to ensure that courts clearly inform defendants who are not U.S. citizens about the potential immigration consequences of a guilty plea or nolo contendere, including deportation, exclusion from the United States, or denial of naturalization. Specifically, it requires courts to provide the advisory verbatim on the record and clarifies that a failure to do so won't automatically lead to the vacating of a plea. The bill also addresses pleas entered before January 1, 2026, to avoid retroactive application of the new requirements.