California Assembly Bill AB2159 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2159AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Gonzalez and Bonta (Coauthor: Assembly Member Medina) FEBRUARY 17, 2016 An act to add Section 351.2 to the Evidence Code, relating to evidence. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2159, as amended, Gonzalez. Evidence: immigration status. Existing law provides that all relevant evidence is admissible in an action before the court, including evidence relevant to the credibility of a witness or hearsay declarant, subject to specified exceptions. This bill would provide that, in civil actions for personal injury or wrongful death, evidence of a person's immigration status is not admissible and discovery of a person's immigration status is not permitted. The bill would also  express the intent of the Legislature   provide  that these restrictions do not affect the  rights or obligations of a person   standards of relevance, admissibility, or discovery  under other specified provisions of law. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   The Legislature finds and declares that Section 351.2 of the Evidence Code does not affect the rights or obligations of a person under Section 3339 of the Civil Code, Section 7285 of the Government Code, Section 24000 of the Health and Safety Code, or Section 1171.5 of the Labor Code.   SEC. 2.   SECTION 1.  Section 351.2 is added to the Evidence Code, to read: 351.2.  In   (a)     In  a civil action for personal injury or wrongful death, evidence of a person's immigration status shall not be admitted into evidence, nor shall discovery into a person's immigration status be permitted.  (b) This section does not affect the standards of relevance, admissibility, or discovery prescribed by Section 3339 of the Civil Code, Section 7285 of the Government Code, Section 24000 of the Health and Safety Code, and Section 1171.5 of the Labor Code.