AB 2273

AB2273:v98#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2273

An act to amend Sections 288 and Section 1001.36 of, and to add Section 11110 to, the Penal Code, relating to crimes.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2273, as amended, Bains. Crimes: Scrivner Act.

Existing law provides that any person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, including any of the acts constituting other crimes, as provided, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under 14 years of age, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 3, 6, or 8 years.

This bill would remove the requirement that the person had that specific intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or child, if the person was under the influence of a mind- or mood-altering substance. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The bill would additionally require the Department of Justice, upon completion of an investigation of a person who holds an elected office in which the department determines the person committed specified crimes relating to rape, that the victim was a minor, and that the case is appropriate for prosecution, to bring criminal charges against that person within 30 days.

Existing law authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion to a defendant suffering from a mental disorder, on an accusatory pleading alleging the commission of a misdemeanor or felony offense, in order to allow the defendant to undergo mental health treatment. Existing law makes a defendant ineligible for this diversion program if the defendant is charged with specified offenses, including, among other offenses, any sex offense except indecent exposure.

This bill would make a defendant ineligible for pretrial diversion if the court determines that the facts alleged in the accusatory pleading or disclosed in the preliminary hearing transcript, police reports, or other evidence would constitute any of the offenses prohibited from receiving diversion, regardless of whether the prosecution formally charges or ultimately proceeds on those offenses.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

This bill would, when the facts alleged in the accusatory pleading or disclosed in the preliminary hearing transcript would constitute an offense for which a defendant would be ineligible for diversion under these provisions, and the defendant has not been charged with those offenses, require the prosecution to state on the record why those charges are not being sought and whether they have conferred with the victim about the charges filed. By increasing duties on prosecutors, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Digest Key

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

Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Sexual Contact and Rape Investigation, Victims’ New Enforcement Rights Act or the SCRIVNER Act.

SEC. 2.Section 288 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

288.

(a)Except as provided in subdivision (i), a person who lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, including any of the acts constituting other crimes provided for in Part 1, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, and the act was committed willfully and with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, or the person was under the influence of a mind- or mood-altering substance, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years.

(b)(1)A person who commits an act described in subdivision (a) by use of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years.

(2)A person who is a caretaker and commits an act described in subdivision (a) upon a dependent person by use of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, with the intent described in subdivision (a), is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for 5, 8, or 10 years.

(c)(1)A person who commits an act described in subdivision (a) with the intent described in that subdivision or under the influence of a mind- or mood-altering substance, and the victim is a child of 14 or 15 years, and that person is at least 10 years older than the child, is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one, two, or three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year. In determining whether the person is at least 10 years older than the child, the difference in age shall be measured from the birth date of the person to the birth date of the child.

(2)A person who is a caretaker and commits an act described in subdivision (a) upon a dependent person, with the intent described in subdivision (a) or under the influence of a mind- or mood-altering substance, is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one, two, or three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.

(d)In any arrest or prosecution under this section or Section 288.5, the peace officer, district attorney, and the court shall consider the needs of the child victim or dependent person and shall do whatever is necessary, within existing budgetary resources, and constitutionally permissible to prevent psychological harm to the child victim or to prevent psychological harm to the dependent person victim resulting from participation in the court process.

(e)(1)Upon the conviction of a person for a violation of subdivision (a) or (b), the court may, in addition to any other penalty or fine imposed, order the defendant to pay an additional fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). In setting the amount of the fine, the court shall consider any relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the seriousness and gravity of the offense, the circumstances of its commission, whether the defendant derived any economic gain as a result of the crime, and the extent to which the victim suffered economic losses as a result of the crime. Every fine imposed and collected under this section shall be deposited in the Victim-Witness Assistance Fund to be available for appropriation to fund child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse victim counseling centers and prevention programs pursuant to Section 13837.

(2)If the court orders a fine imposed pursuant to this subdivision, the actual administrative cost of collecting that fine, not to exceed 2 percent of the total amount paid, may be paid into the general fund of the county treasury for the use and benefit of the county.

(f)For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), the following definitions apply:

(1)“Caretaker” means an owner, operator, administrator, employee, independent contractor, agent, or volunteer of any of the following public or private facilities when the facilities provide care for elder or dependent persons:

(A)Twenty-four hour health facilities, as defined in Sections 1250, 1250.2, and 1250.3 of the Health and Safety Code.

(B)Clinics.

(C)Home health agencies.

(D)Adult day health care centers.

(E)Secondary schools that serve dependent persons and postsecondary educational institutions that serve dependent persons or elders.

(F)Sheltered workshops.

(G)Camps.

(H)Community care facilities, as defined by Section 1402 of the Health and Safety Code, and residential care facilities for the elderly, as defined in Section 1569.2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(I)Respite care facilities.

(J)Foster homes.

(K)Regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities.

(L)A home health agency licensed in accordance with Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1725) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(M)An agency that supplies in-home supportive services.

(N)Board and care facilities.

(O)Any other protective or public assistance agency that provides health services or social services to elder or dependent persons, including, but not limited to, in-home supportive services, as defined in Section 14005.14 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(P)Private residences.

(2)“Board and care facilities” means licensed or unlicensed facilities that provide assistance with one or more of the following activities:

(A)Bathing.

(B)Dressing.

(C)Grooming.

(D)Medication storage.

(E)Medical dispensation.

(F)Money management.

(3)“Dependent person” means a person, regardless of whether the person lives independently, who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially restricts their ability to carry out normal activities or to protect their rights, including, but not limited to, persons who have physical or developmental disabilities or whose physical or mental abilities have significantly diminished because of age. “Dependent person” includes a person who is admitted as an inpatient to a 24-hour health facility, as defined in Sections 1250, 1250.2, and 1250.3 of the Health and Safety Code.

(g)Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) apply to the owners, operators, administrators, employees, independent contractors, agents, or volunteers working at these public or private facilities and only to the extent that the individuals personally commit, conspire, aid, abet, or facilitate any act prohibited by paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).

(h)Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) do not apply to a caretaker who is a spouse of, or who is in an equivalent domestic relationship with, the dependent person under care.

(i)(1)A person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) shall be imprisoned in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole if the defendant personally inflicted bodily harm upon the victim.

(2)The penalty provided in this subdivision shall only apply if the fact that the defendant personally inflicted bodily harm upon the victim is pled and proved.

(3)As used in this subdivision, “bodily harm” means any substantial physical injury resulting from the use of force that is more than the force necessary to commit the offense.

SEC. 3.SEC. 2.

Section 1001.36 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

1001.36.

(a) On an accusatory pleading alleging the commission of a misdemeanor or felony offense not set forth in subdivision (d), the court may, in its discretion, and after considering the positions of the defense and prosecution, grant pretrial diversion to a defendant pursuant to this section if the defendant satisfies the eligibility requirements for pretrial diversion set forth in subdivision (b) and the court determines that the defendant is suitable for that diversion under the factors set forth in subdivision (c).

(b) A defendant is eligible for pretrial diversion pursuant to this section if both of the following criteria are met:

(1) The defendant has been diagnosed with a mental disorder as identified in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, including, but not limited to, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder, but excluding antisocial personality disorder and pedophilia. Evidence of the defendant’s mental disorder shall be provided by the defense and shall include a diagnosis or treatment for a diagnosed mental disorder within the last five years by a qualified mental health expert. In opining that a defendant suffers from a qualifying disorder, the qualified mental health expert may rely on an examination of the defendant, the defendant’s medical records, arrest reports, or any other relevant evidence.

(2) The defendant’s mental disorder was a significant factor in the commission of the charged offense. If the defendant has been diagnosed with a mental disorder, the court shall find that the defendant’s mental disorder was a significant factor in the commission of the offense unless there is clear and convincing evidence that it was not a motivating factor, causal factor, or contributing factor to the defendant’s involvement in the alleged offense. A court may consider any relevant and credible evidence, including, but not limited to, police reports, preliminary hearing transcripts, witness statements, statements by the defendant’s mental health treatment provider, medical records, records or reports by qualified medical experts, or evidence that the defendant displayed symptoms consistent with the relevant mental disorder at or near the time of the offense.

(c) For any defendant who satisfies the eligibility requirements in subdivision (b), the court must consider whether the defendant is suitable for pretrial diversion. A defendant is suitable for pretrial diversion if all of the following criteria are met:

(1) In the opinion of a qualified mental health expert, the defendant’s symptoms of the mental disorder causing, contributing to, or motivating the criminal behavior would respond to mental health treatment.

(2) The defendant consents to diversion and waives the defendant’s right to a speedy trial, or a defendant has been found to be an appropriate candidate for diversion in lieu of commitment pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (B) of, or clause (v) of subparagraph (C), (C) of, paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1370, or subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1370.01 and, as a result of the defendant’s mental incompetence, cannot consent to diversion or give a knowing and intelligent waiver of the defendant’s right to a speedy trial.

(3) The defendant agrees to comply with treatment as a condition of diversion, or the defendant has been found to be an appropriate candidate for diversion in lieu of commitment for restoration of competency treatment pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (B) of, or clause (v) of subparagraph (C) of, paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1370 or subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1370.01 and, as a result of the defendant’s mental incompetence, cannot agree to comply with treatment.

(4) The defendant will not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety, as defined in Section 1170.18, if treated in the community. The court may consider the opinions of the district attorney, the defense, or a qualified mental health expert, and may consider the defendant’s treatment plan, the defendant’s violence and criminal history, the current charged offense, and any other factors that the court deems appropriate.

(d) (1) A defendant shall not be placed into a diversion program, pursuant to this section, for the following current charged offenses:

(A) Murder or voluntary manslaughter.

(B) An offense for which a person, if convicted, would be required to register pursuant to Section 290, except for a violation of Section 314.

(C) Rape.

(D) Lewd or lascivious act on a child under 14 years of age.

(E) Assault with intent to commit rape, sodomy, or oral copulation, in violation of Section 220.

(F) Commission of rape or sexual penetration in concert with another person, in violation of Section 264.1.

(G) Continuous sexual abuse of a child, in violation of Section 288.5.

(H) A violation of subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11418.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, a defendant shall be deemed ineligible for pretrial diversion section, when the facts alleged in the accusatory pleading or disclosed in the preliminary hearing transcript, police reports, or other evidence would constitute any of the offenses enumerated in this subdivision, regardless of whether the prosecution formally charges or ultimately proceeds on those offenses. The court shall make this eligibility determination based on the factual conduct underlying the case, not solely on the specific charges filed. and the defendant has not been charged with those offenses, the prosecution shall state on the record why those charges are not being sought and whether they have conferred with the victim about the charges filed.

(e) At any stage of the proceedings, the court may require the defendant to make a prima facie showing that the defendant will meet the minimum requirements of eligibility for diversion and that the defendant and the offense are suitable for diversion. The hearing on the prima facie showing shall be informal and may proceed on offers of proof, reliable hearsay, and argument of counsel. If a prima facie showing is not made, the court may summarily deny the request for diversion or grant any other relief as may be deemed appropriate.

(f) As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Pretrial diversion” means the postponement of prosecution, either temporarily or permanently, at any point in the judicial process from the point at which the accused is charged until adjudication, to allow the defendant to undergo mental health treatment, subject to all of the following:

(A) (i) The court is satisfied that the recommended inpatient or outpatient program of mental health treatment will meet the specialized mental health treatment needs of the defendant.

(ii) The defendant may be referred to a program of mental health treatment utilizing existing inpatient or outpatient mental health resources. Before approving a proposed treatment program, the court shall consider the request of the defense, the request of the prosecution, the needs of the defendant, and the interests of the community. The treatment may be procured using private or public funds, and a referral may be made to a county mental health agency, existing collaborative courts, or assisted outpatient treatment only if that entity has agreed to accept responsibility for the treatment of the defendant, and mental health services are provided only to the extent that resources are available and the defendant is eligible for those services.

(iii) If the court refers the defendant to a county mental health agency pursuant to this section and the agency determines that it is unable to provide services to the defendant, the court shall accept a written declaration to that effect from the agency in lieu of requiring live testimony. That declaration shall serve only to establish that the program is unable to provide services to the defendant at that time and does not constitute evidence that the defendant is unqualified or unsuitable for diversion under this section.

(B) The provider of the mental health treatment program in which the defendant has been placed shall provide regular reports to the court, the defense, and the prosecutor on the defendant’s progress in treatment.

(C) The period during which criminal proceedings against the defendant may be diverted is limited as follows:

(i) If the defendant is charged with a felony, the period shall be no longer than two years.

(ii) If the defendant is charged with a misdemeanor, the period shall be no longer than one year.

(D) Upon request, the court shall conduct a hearing to determine whether restitution, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 1202.4, is owed to any victim as a result of the diverted offense and, if owed, order its payment during the period of diversion. However, a defendant’s inability to pay restitution due to indigence or mental disorder shall not be grounds for denial of diversion or a finding that the defendant has failed to comply with the terms of diversion.

(2) “Qualified mental health expert” includes, but is not limited to, a psychiatrist, psychologist, a person described in Section 5751.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or a person whose knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education qualifies them as an expert.

(g) If any of the following circumstances exists, the court shall, after notice to the defendant, defense counsel, and the prosecution, hold a hearing to determine whether the criminal proceedings should be reinstated, whether the treatment should be modified, or whether the defendant should be conserved and referred to the conservatorship investigator of the county of commitment to initiate conservatorship proceedings for the defendant pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code:

(1) The defendant is charged with an additional misdemeanor allegedly committed during the pretrial diversion and that reflects the defendant’s propensity for violence.

(2) The defendant is charged with an additional felony allegedly committed during the pretrial diversion.

(3) The defendant is engaged in criminal conduct rendering the defendant unsuitable for diversion.

(4) Based on the opinion of a qualified mental health expert whom the court may deem appropriate, either of the following circumstances exists:

(A) The defendant is performing unsatisfactorily in the assigned program.

(B) The defendant is gravely disabled, as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 5008 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. A defendant shall only be conserved and referred to the conservatorship investigator pursuant to this finding.

(h) If the defendant has performed satisfactorily in diversion, at the end of the period of diversion, the court shall dismiss the defendant’s criminal charges that were the subject of the criminal proceedings at the time of the initial diversion. A court may conclude that the defendant has performed satisfactorily if the defendant has substantially complied with the requirements of diversion, has avoided significant new violations of law unrelated to the defendant’s mental health condition, and has a plan in place for long-term mental health care. If the court dismisses the charges, the clerk of the court shall file a record with the Department of Justice indicating the disposition of the case diverted pursuant to this section. Upon successful completion of diversion, if the court dismisses the charges, the arrest upon which the diversion was based shall be deemed never to have occurred, and the court shall order access to the record of the arrest restricted in accordance with Section 1001.9, except as specified in subdivisions (j) and (k). The defendant who successfully completes diversion may indicate in response to any question concerning the defendant’s prior criminal record that the defendant was not arrested or diverted for the offense, except as specified in subdivision (j).

(i) A record pertaining to an arrest resulting in successful completion of diversion, or any record generated as a result of the defendant’s application for or participation in diversion, shall not, without the defendant’s consent, be used in any way that could result in the denial of any employment, benefit, license, or certificate.

(j) The defendant shall be advised that, regardless of the defendant’s completion of diversion, both of the following apply:

(1) The arrest upon which the diversion was based may be disclosed by the Department of Justice to any peace officer application request and that, notwithstanding subdivision (i), this section does not relieve the defendant of the obligation to disclose the arrest in response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for a position as a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.

(2) An order to seal records pertaining to an arrest made pursuant to this section has no effect on a criminal justice agency’s ability to access and use those sealed records and information regarding sealed arrests, as described in Section 851.92.

(k) A finding that the defendant suffers from a mental disorder, any progress reports concerning the defendant’s treatment, including, but not limited to, any finding that the defendant be prohibited from owning or controlling a firearm because they are a danger to themselves or others pursuant to subdivision (m), or any other records related to a mental disorder that were created as a result of participation in, or completion of, diversion pursuant to this section or for use at a hearing on the defendant’s eligibility for diversion under this section may not be used in any other proceeding without the defendant’s consent, unless that information is relevant evidence that is admissible under the standards described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 28 of Article I of the California Constitution. However, when determining whether to exercise its discretion to grant diversion under this section, a court may consider previous records of participation in diversion under this section.

(l) The county agency administering the diversion, the defendant’s mental health treatment providers, the public guardian or conservator, and the court shall, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, have access to the defendant’s medical and psychological records, including progress reports, during the defendant’s time in diversion, as needed, for the purpose of providing care and treatment and monitoring treatment for diversion or conservatorship.

(m) (1) The prosecution may request an order from the court that the defendant be prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm until they successfully complete diversion because they are a danger to themselves or others pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2) The prosecution shall bear the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, both of the following are true:

(A) The defendant poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to themselves or another by having in their custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm.

(B) The prohibition is necessary to prevent personal injury to the defendant or any other person because less restrictive alternatives either have been tried and found to be ineffective or are inadequate or inappropriate for the circumstances of the defendant.

(3) (A) If the court finds that the prosecution has not met that burden, the court shall not order that the person is prohibited from having, owning, purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm.

(B) If the court finds that the prosecution has met the burden, the court shall order that the person is prohibited, and shall inform the person that they are prohibited, from owning or controlling a firearm until they successfully complete diversion because they are a danger to themselves or others.

(4) An order imposed pursuant to this subdivision shall be in effect until the defendant has successfully completed diversion or until their firearm rights are restored pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (g) of Section 8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

SEC. 4.SEC. 3.

Section 11110 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

11110.

(a) The Department of Justice, upon completion of an investigation of a person who holds an elected office in which the department determines the person committed a crime in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 261) or Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 281) of Title 9 of Part 1, that the victim was a minor, and that the case is appropriate for prosecution, shall bring criminal charges against that person within 30 days.

(b) A failure to bring charges within 30 days pursuant to subdivision (a) does not preclude prosecution at a later date.

SEC. 5.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SEC. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.