BILL NUMBER: SB 325ENROLLED BILL TEXT PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 17, 2009 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 11, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Senator Alquist FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to amend Sections 290.04, 290.05, 290.06, 290.07, and 1203 of the Penal Code, and to amend Section 706 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to sex offenders. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 325, Alquist. Sex offenders: assessments. Existing law requires every person required to register as a sex offender to be subject to assessment by the State-Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders (SARATSO). Existing law establishes the SARATSO Review Committee, which consists of representatives of the State Department of Mental Health, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Attorney General, and is staffed by the State Department of Mental Health. Existing law directs the committee to ensure that the SARATSO reflects the most reliable, objective, and well-established protocols for predicting sex offender risk of recidivism, has been scientifically validated and cross validated, and is widely accepted by the courts. Existing law also requires the SARATSO Training Committee to develop a training program for persons authorized to perform the risk assessments. Under existing law, this training is required to be conducted by experts in the field of risk assessment and the use of actuarial instruments in predicting sex offender risk. This bill would instead provide for the SARATSO Review Committee to be staffed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill would provide a protocol for an agency that scores the SARATSO and believes that a score does not represent the person's true risk level to submit the case to certain experts for possible override. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the State Department of Mental Health to perform a risk assessment of every eligible person under their jurisdiction, as specified. This bill would require those departments to each maintain a database to record the risk assessment scores of those persons, and to send those scores to the Department of Justice, to be maintained by the Sex Offender Tracking Program. Existing law requires specified persons who administer the SARATSO to have access to all relevant records concerning a person on whom a risk assessment is being performed. This bill would require any person acting under authority from the SARATSO Review Committee as an expert to also have access to those records. Existing law requires probation officers to include in their probation reports information on the results of the SARATSO performed on any person required to register as a sex offender pursuant to certain provisions of law. This bill would require probation officers to include that information on additional persons, including certain juveniles. By requiring additional SARATSO assessments by county probation officers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, after adjudging a minor to be a ward of the court, the court is required to hear evidence on the proper disposition of the minor. The court is required to receive in evidence the social study of the minor made by the probation officer, and other relevant and material evidence, as specified. This bill would also require the court to receive in evidence the risk assessment score of the minor, if applicable. 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 these statutory provisions. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 290.04 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 290.04. (a) (1) The sex offender risk assessment tools authorized by this section for use with selected populations shall be known, with respect to each population, as the State-Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders (SARATSO). If a SARATSO has not been selected for a given population pursuant to this section, no duty to administer the SARATSO elsewhere in this code shall apply with respect to that population. Every person required to register as a sex offender shall be subject to assessment with the SARATSO as set forth in this section and elsewhere in this code. (2) A representative of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, in consultation with a representative of the State Department of Mental Health and a representative of the Attorney General's office, shall comprise the SARATSO Review Committee. The purpose of the committee, which shall be staffed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, shall be to ensure that the SARATSO reflects the most reliable, objective and well-established protocols for predicting sex offender risk of recidivism, has been scientifically validated and cross validated, and is, or is reasonably likely to be, widely accepted by the courts. The committee shall consult with experts in the fields of risk assessment and the use of actuarial instruments in predicting sex offender risk, sex offending, sex offender treatment, mental health, and law, as it deems appropriate. (b) (1) Commencing January 1, 2007, the SARATSO for adult males required to register as sex offenders shall be the STATIC-99 risk assessment scale. (2) On or before January 1, 2008, the SARATSO Review Committee shall determine whether the STATIC-99 should be supplemented with an actuarial instrument that measures dynamic risk factors or whether the STATIC-99 should be replaced as the SARATSO with a different risk assessment tool. If the committee unanimously agrees on changes to be made to the SARATSO, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the changes, and the State Department of Mental Health shall post the decision on its Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the selected tool shall become the SARATSO for adult males. (c) On or before July 1, 2007, the SARATSO Review Committee shall research risk assessment tools for adult females required to register as sex offenders. If the committee unanimously agrees on an appropriate risk assessment tool to be used to assess this population, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the selected tool, and the State Department of Mental Health shall post the decision on its Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the selected tool shall become the SARATSO for adult females. (d) On or before July 1, 2007, the SARATSO Review Committee shall research risk assessment tools for male juveniles required to register as sex offenders. If the committee unanimously agrees on an appropriate risk assessment tool to be used to assess this population, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the selected tool, and the State Department of Mental Health shall post the decision on its Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the selected tool shall become the SARATSO for male juveniles. (e) On or before July 1, 2007, the SARATSO Review Committee shall research risk assessment tools for female juveniles required to register as sex offenders. If the committee unanimously agrees on an appropriate risk assessment tool to be used to assess this population, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the selected tool, and the State Department of Mental Health shall post the decision on its Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the selected tool shall become the SARATSO for female juveniles. (f) The committee shall periodically evaluate the SARATSO for each specified population. If the committee unanimously agrees on a change to the SARATSO for any population, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the selected tool, and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall post the decision on its Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the selected tool shall become the SARATSO for that population. (g) The committee shall perform other functions consistent with the provisions of this act or as may be otherwise required by law, including, but not limited to, defining tiers of risk based on the SARATSO. The committee shall be immune from liability for good faith conduct under this act. SEC. 2. Section 290.05 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 290.05. (a) The SARATSO Training Committee shall be comprised of a representative of the State Department of Mental Health, a representative of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a representative of the Attorney General's Office, and a representative of the Chief Probation Officers of California. (b) On or before January 1, 2008, the SARATSO Training Committee, in consultation with the Corrections Standards Authority and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, shall develop a training program for persons authorized by this code to administer the SARATSO, as set forth in Section 290.04. (c) (1) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall be responsible for overseeing the training of persons who will administer the SARATSO pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 290.06. (2) The State Department of Mental Health shall be responsible for overseeing the training of persons who will administer the SARATSO pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 290.06. (3) The Correction Standards Authority shall be responsible for developing standards for the training of persons who will administer the SARATSO pursuant to paragraph (5) or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 290.06. (4) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training shall be responsible for developing standards for the training of persons who will administer the SARATSO pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 290.06. (d) The training shall be conducted by experts in the field of risk assessment and the use of actuarial instruments in predicting sex offender risk. Subject to requirements established by the committee, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Department of Mental Health, probation departments, and authorized local law enforcement agencies shall designate key persons within their organizations to attend training and, as authorized by the department, to train others within their organizations designated to perform risk assessments as required or authorized by law. Any person who administers the SARATSO shall receive training no less frequently than every two years. (e) If the agency responsible for scoring the SARATSO believes an individual score does not represent the person's true risk level, based on factors in the offender's record, the agency may submit the case to the experts retained by the SARATSO Review Committee to monitor the scoring of the SARATSO. Those experts shall be guided by empirical research in determining whether to raise or lower the risk level. Agencies that score the SARATSO shall develop a protocol for submission of risk level override requests to the experts retained in accordance with this subdivision. (f) The SARATSO may be performed for purposes authorized by statute only by persons trained pursuant to this section. SEC. 3. Section 290.06 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 290.06. Effective on or before July 1, 2008, the SARATSO, as set forth in Section 290.04, shall be administered as follows: (a) (1) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall assess every eligible person who is incarcerated in state prison. Whenever possible, the assessment shall take place at least four months, but no sooner than 10 months, prior to release from incarceration. (2) The department shall assess every eligible person who is on parole if the person was not assessed prior to release from state prison. Whenever possible, the assessment shall take place at least four months, but no sooner than 10 months, prior to termination of parole. The department shall record in a database the risk assessment scores of persons assessed pursuant to this paragraph and paragraph (1), and any risk assessment score that was submitted to the department by a probation officer pursuant to Section 1203. (3) The State Department of Mental Health shall assess every eligible person who is committed to that department. Whenever possible, the assessment shall take place at least four months, but no sooner than 10 months, prior to release from commitment. The State Department of Mental Health shall record in a database the risk assessment scores of persons assessed pursuant to this paragraph and any risk assessment score that was submitted to the department by a probation officer pursuant to Section 1203. (4) Commencing January 1, 2010, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the State Department of Mental Health shall send the scores obtained in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) respectively, to the Department of Justice Sex Offender Tracking Program not later than 30 days after the date of the assessment. The risk assessment score of an offender shall be made part of his or her file maintained by the Department of Justice Sex Offender Tracking Program as soon as possible without financial impact, but no later than January 1, 2012. (5) Each probation department shall assess every eligible person for whom it prepares a report pursuant to Section 1203. (6) Each probation department shall assess every eligible person under its supervision who was not assessed pursuant to paragraph (5). The assessment shall take place prior to the termination of probation, but no later than January 1, 2010. (b) Eligible persons not assessed pursuant to subdivision (a) may be assessed as follows: (1) Upon request of the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which the person is registered pursuant to Sections 290 to 290.023, inclusive, the person shall be assessed. The law enforcement agency may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a probation department to perform the assessment. In the alternative, the law enforcement agency may arrange to have personnel trained to perform the risk assessment in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 290.05. (2) Eligible persons not assessed pursuant to subdivision (a) may request that a risk assessment be performed. A request form shall be available at registering law enforcement agencies. The person requesting the assessment shall pay a fee for the assessment that shall be sufficient to cover the cost of the assessment. The risk assessment so requested shall be performed either by the probation department, if a memorandum of understanding is established between the law enforcement agency and the probation department, or by personnel who have been trained to perform risk assessment in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 290.05. (c) On or before January 1, 2008, the SARATSO Review Committee shall research the appropriateness and feasibility of providing a means by which an eligible person subject to assessment may, at his or her own expense, be assessed with the SARATSO by a governmental entity prior to his or her scheduled assessment. If the committee unanimously agrees that such a process is appropriate and feasible, it shall advise the Governor and the Legislature of the selected tool, and it shall post its decision on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Internet Web site. Sixty days after the decision is posted, the established process shall become effective. (d) For purposes of this section,"eligible person" means a person who was convicted of an offense that requires him or her to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 and who is eligible for assessment, pursuant to the official Coding Rules designated for use with the risk assessment instrument by the author of any risk assessment instrument (SARATSO) selected by the SARATSO Review Committee. (e) Persons authorized to perform risk assessments pursuant to this section, Section 1203, and Section 706 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be immune from liability for good faith conduct under this act. SEC. 4. Section 290.07 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 290.07. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person authorized by statute to administer the State Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders and trained pursuant to Section 290.06, and any person acting under authority from the SARATSO Review Committee as an expert to train, monitor, or review scoring by persons who administer the SARATSO pursuant to Section 290.05 or 1203 of this code or Section 706 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall be granted access to all relevant records pertaining to a registered sex offender, including, but not limited to, criminal histories, sex offender registration records, police reports, probation and presentencing reports, judicial records and case files, juvenile records, psychological evaluations and psychiatric hospital reports, sexually violent predator treatment program reports, and records that have been sealed by the courts or the Department of Justice. Records and information obtained under this section shall not be subject to the California Public Records Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code. SEC. 5. Section 1203 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 1203. (a) As used in this code, "probation" means the suspension of the imposition or execution of a sentence and the order of conditional and revocable release in the community under the supervision of a probation officer. As used in this code, "conditional sentence" means the suspension of the imposition or execution of a sentence and the order of revocable release in the community subject to conditions established by the court without the supervision of a probation officer. It is the intent of the Legislature that both conditional sentence and probation are authorized whenever probation is authorized in any code as a sentencing option for infractions or misdemeanors. (b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (j), if a person is convicted of a felony and is eligible for probation, before judgment is pronounced, the court shall immediately refer the matter to a probation officer to investigate and report to the court, at a specified time, upon the circumstances surrounding the crime and the prior history and record of the person, which may be considered either in aggravation or mitigation of the punishment. (2) (A) The probation officer shall immediately investigate and make a written report to the court of his or her findings and recommendations, including his or her recommendations as to the granting or denying of probation and the conditions of probation, if granted. (B) Pursuant to Section 828 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the probation officer shall include in his or her report any information gathered by a law enforcement agency relating to the taking of the defendant into custody as a minor, which shall be considered for purposes of determining whether adjudications of commissions of crimes as a juvenile warrant a finding that there are circumstances in aggravation pursuant to Section 1170 or to deny probation. (C) If the person was convicted of an offense that requires him or her to register as a sex offender pursuant to Sections 290 to 290.023, inclusive, or if the probation report recommends that registration be ordered at sentencing pursuant to Section 290.006, the probation officer's report shall include the results of the State-Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders (SARATSO) administered pursuant to Sections 290.04 to 290.06, inclusive, if applicable. (D) The probation officer shall also include in the report his or her recommendation of both of the following: (i) The amount the defendant should be required to pay as a restitution fine pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1202.4. (ii) Whether the court shall require, as a condition of probation, restitution to the victim or to the Restitution Fund and the amount thereof. (E) The report shall be made available to the court and the prosecuting and defense attorneys at least five days, or upon request of the defendant or prosecuting attorney nine days, prior to the time fixed by the court for the hearing and determination of the report, and shall be filed with the clerk of the court as a record in the case at the time of the hearing. The time within which the report shall be made available and filed may be waived by written stipulation of the prosecuting and defense attorneys that is filed with the court or an oral stipulation in open court that is made and entered upon the minutes of the court. (3) At a time fixed by the court, the court shall hear and determine the application, if one has been made, or, in any case, the suitability of probation in the particular case. At the hearing, the court shall consider any report of the probation officer, including the results of the SARATSO, if applicable, and shall make a statement that it has considered the report, which shall be filed with the clerk of the court as a record in the case. If the court determines that there are circumstances in mitigation of the punishment prescribed by law or that the ends of justice would be served by granting probation to the person, it may place the person on probation. If probation is denied, the clerk of the court shall immediately send a copy of the report to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the prison or other institution to which the person is delivered. (4) The preparation of the report or the consideration of the report by the court may be waived only by a written stipulation of the prosecuting and defense attorneys that is filed with the court or an oral stipulation in open court that is made and entered upon the minutes of the court, except that there shall be no waiver unless the court consents thereto. However, if the defendant is ultimately sentenced and committed to the state prison, a probation report shall be completed pursuant to Section 1203c. (c) If a defendant is not represented by an attorney, the court shall order the probation officer who makes the probation report to discuss its contents with the defendant. (d) If a person is convicted of a misdemeanor, the court may either refer the matter to the probation officer for an investigation and a report or summarily pronounce a conditional sentence. If the person was convicted of an offense that requires him or her to register as a sex offender pursuant to Sections 290 to 290.023, inclusive, or if the probation officer recommends that the court, at sentencing, order the offender to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290.006, the court shall refer the matter to the probation officer for the purpose of obtaining a report on the results of the State-Authorized Risk Assessment Tool for Sex Offenders administered pursuant to Sections 290.04 to 290.06, inclusive, if applicable, which the court shall consider. If the case is not referred to the probation officer, in sentencing the person, the court may consider any information concerning the person that could have been included in a probation report. The court shall inform the person of the information to be considered and permit him or her to answer or controvert the information. For this purpose, upon the request of the person, the court shall grant a continuance before the judgment is pronounced. (e) Except in unusual cases where the interests of justice would best be served if the person is granted probation, probation shall not be granted to any of the following persons: (1) Unless the person had a lawful right to carry a deadly weapon, other than a firearm, at the time of the perpetration of the crime or his or her arrest, any person who has been convicted of arson, robbery, carjacking, burglary, burglary with explosives, rape with force or violence, torture, aggravated mayhem, murder, attempt to commit murder, trainwrecking, kidnapping, escape from the state prison, or a conspiracy to commit one or more of those crimes and who was armed with the weapon at either of those times. (2) Any person who used, or attempted to use, a deadly weapon upon a human being in connection with the perpetration of the crime of which he or she has been convicted. (3) Any person who willfully inflicted great bodily injury or torture in the perpetration of the crime of which he or she has been convicted. (4) Any person who has been previously convicted twice in this state of a felony or in any other place of a public offense which, if committed in this state, would have been punishable as a felony. (5) Unless the person has never been previously convicted once in this state of a felony or in any other place of a public offense which, if committed in this state, would have been punishable as a felony, any person who has been convicted of burglary with explosives, rape with force or violence, torture, aggravated mayhem, murder, attempt to commit murder, trainwrecking, extortion, kidnapping, escape from the state prison, a violation of Section 286, 288, 288a, or 288.5, or a conspiracy to commit one or more of those crimes. (6) Any person who has been previously convicted once in this state of a felony or in any other place of a public offense which, if committed in this state, would have been punishable as a felony, if he or she committed any of the following acts: (A) Unless the person had a lawful right to carry a deadly weapon at the time of the perpetration of the previous crime or his or her arrest for the previous crime, he or she was armed with a weapon at either of those times. (B) The person used, or attempted to use, a deadly weapon upon a human being in connection with the perpetration of the previous crime. (C) The person willfully inflicted great bodily injury or torture in the perpetration of the previous crime. (7) Any public official or peace officer of this state or any city, county, or other political subdivision who, in the discharge of the duties of his or her public office or employment, accepted or gave or offered to accept or give any bribe, embezzled public money, or was guilty of extortion. (8) Any person who knowingly furnishes or gives away phencyclidine. (9) Any person who intentionally inflicted great bodily injury in the commission of arson under subdivision (a) of Section 451 or who intentionally set fire to, burned, or caused the burning of, an inhabited structure or inhabited property in violation of subdivision (b) of Section 451. (10) Any person who, in the commission of a felony, inflicts great bodily injury or causes the death of a human being by the discharge of a firearm from or at an occupied motor vehicle proceeding on a public street or highway. (11) Any person who possesses a short-barreled rifle or a short-barreled shotgun under Section 12020, a machinegun under Section 12220, or a silencer under Section 12520. (12) Any person who is convicted of violating Section 8101 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (13) Any person who is described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (g) of Section 12072. (f) When probation is granted in a case which comes within subdivision (e), the court shall specify on the record and shall enter on the minutes the circumstances indicating that the interests of justice would best be served by that disposition. (g) If a person is not eligible for probation, the judge shall refer the matter to the probation officer for an investigation of the facts relevant to determination of the amount of a restitution fine pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1202.4 in all cases where the determination is applicable. The judge, in his or her discretion, may direct the probation officer to investigate all facts relevant to the sentencing of the person. Upon that referral, the probation officer shall immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the crime and the prior record and history of the person and make a written report to the court of his or her findings. The findings shall include a recommendation of the amount of the restitution fine as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 1202.4. (h) If a defendant is convicted of a felony and a probation report is prepared pursuant to subdivision (b) or (g), the probation officer may obtain and include in the report a statement of the comments of the victim concerning the offense. The court may direct the probation officer not to obtain a statement if the victim has in fact testified at any of the court proceedings concerning the offense. (i) No probationer shall be released to enter another state unless his or her case has been referred to the Administrator of the Interstate Probation and Parole Compacts, pursuant to the Uniform Act for Out-of-State Probationer or Parolee Supervision (Article 3 (commencing with Section 11175) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4) and the probationer has reimbursed the county that has jurisdiction over his or her probation case the reasonable costs of processing his or her request for interstate compact supervision. The amount and method of reimbursement shall be in accordance with Section 1203.1b. (j) In any court where a county financial evaluation officer is available, in addition to referring the matter to the probation officer, the court may order the defendant to appear before the county financial evaluation officer for a financial evaluation of the defendant's ability to pay restitution, in which case the county financial evaluation officer shall report his or her findings regarding restitution and other court-related costs to the probation officer on the question of the defendant's ability to pay those costs. Any order made pursuant to this subdivision may be enforced as a violation of the terms and conditions of probation upon willful failure to pay and at the discretion of the court, may be enforced in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action, if any balance remains unpaid at the end of the defendant's probationary period. (k) Probation shall not be granted to, nor shall the execution of, or imposition of sentence be suspended for, any person who is convicted of a violent felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, or a serious felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7, and who was on probation for a felony offense at the time of the commission of the new felony offense. SEC. 6. Section 706 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 706. After finding that a minor is a person described in Section 601 or 602, the court shall hear evidence on the question of the proper disposition to be made of the minor. The court shall receive in evidence the social study of the minor made by the probation officer and any other relevant and material evidence that may be offered, including any written or oral statement offered by the victim, the parent or guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor, or if the victim has died or is incapacitated, the victim's next of kin, as authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 656.2. In addition, if the probation officer has recommended that the minor be transferred to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice pursuant to an adjudication for an offense requiring him or her to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290.008 of the Penal Code, the SARATSO selected pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 290.04 of the Penal Code shall be used to assess the minor, and the court shall receive that risk assessment score into evidence. In any judgment and order of disposition, the court shall state that the social study made by the probation officer has been read and that the social study and any statement has been considered by the court. SEC. 7. 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.