County officers: coroners: in-custody deaths.
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Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Chaptered
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Forensic Accountability, Custodial Transparency, and Safety (FACTS) Act of 2025, aims to improve the investigation of in-custody deaths in California. Starting January 1, 2027, counties where the sheriff and coroner are combined must contract with independent medical examiners or private third-party providers to determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death, rather than the sheriff-coroner themselves. The bill also establishes a process for annual service agreements and prohibits private providers from being contracted by the county for cases outside of in-custody deaths. It amends existing law to clarify the definition of ‘in-custody death’ and outlines procedures for sharing autopsy findings.
Key provisions
- Requires counties with combined sheriff and coroner offices to contract out in-custody death investigations.
- Mandates contracting with independent medical examiners or private third-party providers.
- Prohibits private providers from being contracted for non-in-custody deaths.
- Establishes a process for annual service agreements with medical examiners or providers.
- Defines ‘in-custody death’ to include specific scenarios of detention and death.
- Requires findings to be made regarding the statewide concern addressed by the bill.
- Provides for reimbursement to local agencies if the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill creates state-mandated costs.
- Clarifies the definition of a forensic autopsy and related procedures.
Who is affected
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3 on record
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