Office of Assemblymember Nick Schultz
(916) 319-2044
allison.ruffschuurman@asm.ca.gov
(SACRAMENTO) – As the 2025-26 Legislative Session winds down, a package of criminal justice reform bills authored by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) has passed the Legislature and now heads to Governor Newsom for his signature. The bills establish new standards for indigent defense, better pathways to correct wrongful convictions, guardrails for the interrogation of juveniles, and strengthen due process.
“This package of bills is focused on strengthening the integrity, transparency, and equity of our criminal justice system,” said Assemblymember Schultz, Chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee. “Every Californian benefits from a fair justice system, whether or not they ever set foot into a courtroom. These reforms build on our work to ensure balance, and I encourage Governor Newsom to sign them into law.”
The package of bills includes:
AB 690 – 24 out of 58 counties in California do not have a public defender office and instead rely on contracted attorneys to provide all public defense representation. In addition, nearly all California counties rely on contracted attorneys when the public defender cannot take the case. California does not currently provide any guidance related to these contracts, leading to wide variation in the quality of legal representation. AB 690 creates standards for contracts for indigent defense services to ensure that all Californians receive equal access to quality legal services, and prohibits flat-fee contracts in the most complex cases involving life without parole or the death penalty.
AB 1595 – California law governing habeas corpus and motions to vacate have been amended repeatedly over the last decade, resulting in inconsistent and unclear legal standards. AB 1595 strengthens our criminal legal system by ensuring that courts can correct wrongful convictions while preserving judicial discretion. By reducing unnecessary litigation and conserving limited court resources, courts can focus on the merits of credible claims rather than procedural technicalities.
AB 1905 – Research and case experience consistently demonstrate that juveniles are more susceptible to pressure, manipulation, and deception, particularly when they are unaware that they are speaking with someone acting on behalf of law enforcement. AB 1905 strengthens the protections in law for young people in custody by prohibiting law enforcement from using undercover officers or agents to obtain statements from individuals who were 17 years of age or younger at the time of the alleged offense and 26 or younger while in custody. With clear guardrails, the bill promotes fairness, reduces the risk of unreliable statements, and supports the integrity of the judicial system.
AB 1917 – The Respect Judicial Decisions Act strengthens transparency and efficiency in criminal court proceedings by ensuring that charges brought against defendants are always evidence-based. It requires prosecutors to file a motion to add back any charges that a judge previously dismissed in a preliminary hearing. If such motions are granted, then these charges can still be reinstated. AB 1917 ensures due process rights are protected and increase the efficiency of judicial processes, while still maintaining an avenue to reinstitute dismissed charges when appropriate.
Governor Newsom now has until September 30th to sign the bills.
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Nick Schultz represents 44th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and Los Angeles, as well as the communities of La Crescenta, Lake View Terrace, Montrose, North Hollywood, Shadow Hills, Sherman Oaks, Sunland-Tujunga, Studio City, Toluca Lake, and Valley Village.
