SB 906: Parole: closed session.
The bill aims to amend the law regarding parole reviews. Currently, the board of parole hearings meets with indeterminately sentenced inmates before their minimum eligible parole date to review their activities and conduct. One year prior to the parole date, a panel of the board meets with the inmate to grant parole unless the board determines that public safety requires a more lengthy period of incarceration. The bill would require all commissioners to participate in an en banc review, which is a review conducted by a majority of commissioners, and would make the request for review made by the governor a public record. The bill would also prohibit an en banc review from being held in a closed session, ensuring that the process is transparent and open to the public.
| Apr. 21, 2026 | April 21 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Apr. 10, 2026 | Set for hearing April 21. |
| Mar. 11, 2026 | From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
| Mar. 10, 2026 | March 17 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Mar. 03, 2026 | Set for hearing March 17. |
| Amended IN Senate March 11, 2026 |
| Introduced by Senator Jones |
January 22, 2026 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Existing law authorizes courts that have jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases to suspend the sentence and make and enforce terms of probation in those cases, for a period not to exceed one year, except as specified. Existing law authorizes the court, in an order granting probation, to suspend the imposition or execution of sentence and direct the suspension to continue for a period of time not exceeding 2 years, except as specified.
This bill would authorize a court having jurisdiction to impose punishment in misdemeanor cases, upon a motion by a defendant, to extend the term of probation for a period of time necessary to complete a collaborative justice court program, not to exceed 18 months. This bill would authorize a court granting probation upon a motion by a defendant, to extend the term of probation for a period necessary to complete a collaborative justice court program, not to exceed 18 months. By authorizing the extension of the term of probation, 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 11126 of the Government Code is amended to read:11126.
(a) (1) Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent a state body from holding closed sessions during a regular or special meeting to consider the appointment, employment, evaluation of performance, or dismissal of a public employee or to hear complaints or charges brought against that employee by another person or employee unless the employee requests a public hearing.SEC. 2.
Section 3041 of the Penal Code is amended to read:3041.
(a) (1) In the case of any inmate sentenced pursuant to any law, other than Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 1170) of Title 7 of Part 2, the Board of Parole Hearings shall meet with each inmate during the sixth year before the inmate’s minimum eligible parole date for the purposes of reviewing and documenting the inmate’s activities and conduct pertinent to parole eligibility. During this consultation, the board shall provide the inmate information about the parole hearing process, legal factors relevant toSEC. 3.
Section 3041.1 of the Penal Code is amended to read:3041.1.
(a) Any time before an inmate’s release, the Governor may request review of a decision by a parole authority concerning the grant or denial of parole to any inmate in a state prison. The Governor shall state the reason or reasons for the request, and whether the request is based on a public safety concern, a concern that the gravity of current or past convicted offenses may have been given inadequate consideration, or on other factors.(a)In all counties and cities and counties, the courts therein, having jurisdiction to impose punishment in misdemeanor cases, may refer cases, demand reports, and to do and require anything necessary to carry out the purposes of Section 1203, insofar as that section applies to misdemeanors. The court may suspend the imposition or execution of the sentence and make and enforce the terms of probation for a period not to exceed one year.
(b)The one-year probation limit in subdivision (a) shall not apply to any offense that includes specific probation lengths within its provisions.
(c)Notwithstanding the one-year probation limit in subdivision (a), a defendant may bring a motion for an extension of the term of probation in order to complete a collaborative justice court program. The court may grant an extension of the term of probation for a period of time necessary to permit a defendant to complete the collaborative justice court program, not to exceed 18 months.
(a)The court, or judge thereof, in the order granting probation, may suspend the imposing or the execution of the sentence and may direct that the suspension may continue for a period of time not exceeding two years, and upon those terms and conditions as it shall determine. The court, or judge thereof, in the order granting probation and as a condition thereof, may imprison the defendant in a county jail for a period not exceeding the maximum time fixed by law in the case. The following shall apply to this subdivision:
(1)The court may fine the defendant in a sum not to exceed the maximum fine provided by law in the case.
(2)The court may, in connection with granting probation, impose either imprisonment in a county jail or a fine, both, or neither.
(3)The court shall provide for restitution in proper cases. The restitution order shall be fully enforceable as a civil judgment forthwith and in accordance with Section 1202.4 of the Penal Code.
(4)The court may require bonds for the faithful observance and performance of any or all of the conditions of probation.
(b)The court shall consider whether the defendant as a condition of probation shall make restitution to the victim or the Restitution Fund. Any restitution payment received by a court or probation department in the form of cash or money order shall be forwarded to the victim within 30 days from the date the payment is received by the department. Any restitution payment received by a court or probation department in the form of a check or draft shall be forwarded to the victim within 45 days from the date the payment is received, provided, that payment need not be forwarded to a victim until 180 days from the date the first payment is received, if the restitution payments for that victim received by the court or probation department total less than fifty dollars ($50). In cases where the court has ordered the defendant to pay restitution to multiple victims and where the administrative cost of disbursing restitution payments to multiple victims involves a significant cost, any restitution payment received by a probation department shall be forwarded to multiple victims when it is cost effective to do so, but in no event shall restitution disbursements be delayed beyond 180 days from the date the payment is received by the probation department.
(c)In counties or cities and counties where road camps, farms, or other public work is available the court may place the probationer in the road camp, farm, or other public work instead of in jail. In this case, Section 25359 of the Government Code shall apply to probation and the court shall have the same power to require adult probationers to work, as prisoners confined in the county jail are required to work, at public work. Each county board of supervisors may fix the scale of compensation of the adult probationers in that county.
(d)In all cases of probation the court may require as a condition of probation that the probationer go to work and earn money for the support of the probationer’s dependents or to pay any fine imposed or reparation condition, to keep an account of the probationer’s earnings, to report them to the probation officer and apply those earnings as directed by the court.
(e)The court shall also consider whether the defendant as a condition of probation shall make restitution to a public agency for the costs of an emergency response pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 53150) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Government Code.
(f)In all felony cases in which, as a condition of probation, a judge of the superior court sitting by authority of law elsewhere than at the county seat requires a convicted person to serve their sentence at intermittent periods the sentence may be served on the order of the judge at the city jail nearest to the place at which the court is sitting, and the cost of the convicted person’s maintenance shall be a county charge.
(g)(1)The court and prosecuting attorney shall consider whether any defendant who has been convicted of a nonviolent or nonserious offense and ordered to participate in community service as a condition of probation shall be required to engage in the removal of graffiti in the performance of the community service. For the purpose of this subdivision, a nonserious offense shall not include the following:
(A)Offenses in violation of the Dangerous Weapons Control Law, as defined in Section 23500.
(B)Offenses involving the use of a dangerous or deadly weapon, including all violations of Section 417.
(C)Offenses involving the use or attempted use of violence against the person of another or involving injury to a victim.
(D)Offenses involving annoying or molesting children.
(2)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), any person who violates Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 29610) of Division 9 of Title 4 of Part 6 shall be ordered to perform not less than 100 hours and not more than 500 hours of community service as a condition of probation.
(3)The court and the prosecuting attorney need not consider a defendant pursuant to paragraph (1) if the following circumstances exist:
(A)The defendant was convicted of any offense set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 or subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7.
(B)The judge believes that the public safety may be endangered if the person is ordered to do community service or the judge believes that the facts or circumstances or facts and circumstances call for imposition of a more substantial penalty.
(h)The probation officer or their designated representative shall consider whether any defendant who has been convicted of a nonviolent and nonserious offense and ordered to participate in community service as a condition of probation shall be required to engage in the performance of house repairs or yard services for senior citizens and the performance of repairs to senior centers through contact with local senior service organizations in the performance of the community service.
(i)(1)Upon conviction of any offense involving child abuse or neglect, the court may require, in addition to any or all of the terms of imprisonment, fine, and other reasonable conditions specified in this section, that the defendant participate in counseling or education programs, or both, including, but not limited to, parent education or parenting programs operated by community colleges, school districts, other public agencies, or private agencies.
(2)Upon conviction of any sex offense subjecting the defendant to the registration requirements of Section 290, the court may order as a condition of probation, at the request of the victim or in the court’s discretion, that the defendant stay away from the victim and the victim’s residence or place of employment, and that the defendant have no contact with the victim in person, by telephone or electronic means, or by mail.
(j)The court may impose and require any or all of the terms of imprisonment, fine, and conditions specified in this section, and other reasonable conditions, as it may determine are fitting and proper to the end that justice may be done, that amends may be made to society for the breach of the law, for any injury done to any person resulting from that breach, and generally and specifically for the reformation and rehabilitation of the probationer, and that should the probationer violate any of the terms or conditions imposed by the court in the matter, it shall have authority to modify and change any and all the terms and conditions and to reimprison the probationer in the county jail within the limitations of the penalty of the public offense involved. Upon the defendant being released from the county jail under the terms of probation as originally granted or any modification subsequently made, and in all cases where confinement in a county jail has not been a condition of the grant of probation, the court shall place the defendant or probationer in and under the charge of the probation officer of the court, for the period or term fixed for probation. However, upon the payment of any fine imposed and the fulfillment of all conditions of probation, probation shall cease at the end of the term of probation, or sooner, in the event of modification. In counties and cities and counties in which there are facilities for taking fingerprints, those of each probationer shall be taken and a record of them kept and preserved.
(k)Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, except as provided in Section 13967, as operative on or before September 28, 1994, of the Government Code and Section 13967.5 of the Government Code and Sections 1202.4, 1463.16, paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1463.18, and Section 1464, and Section 1203.04, as operative on or before August 2, 1995, all fines collected by a county probation officer in any of the courts of this state, as a condition of the granting of probation or as a part of the terms of probation, shall be paid into the county treasury and placed in the general fund for the use and benefit of the county.
(l)The two-year probation limit in subdivision (a) shall not apply to:
(1) An offense listed in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 and an offense that includes specific probation lengths within its provisions. For these offenses, the court, or judge thereof, in the order granting probation, may suspend the imposing or the execution of the sentence and may direct that the suspension may continue for a period of time not exceeding the maximum possible term of the sentence and under conditions as it shall determine. All other provisions of subdivision (a) shall apply.
(2)A felony conviction for paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 487, Section 503, and Section 532a, if the total value of the property taken exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). For these offenses, the court, or judge thereof, in the order granting probation, may suspend the imposing or the execution of the sentence and may direct that the suspension may continue for a period of time not exceeding three years, and upon those terms and conditions as it shall determine. All other provisions of subdivision (a) shall apply.
(m)Notwithstanding the two-year probation limit in subdivision (a), a defendant may bring a motion for an extension of the term of probation in order to complete a collaborative justice court program. The court may grant an extension of the term of probation for a period of time necessary to permit a defendant to complete a collaborative justice court program, not to exceed 18 months.
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.