California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Better Informed Decisions (BID) Act into law, allowing judges to review evidence as cases develop and make better-informed decisions on whether charges should proceed as misdemeanors or felonies, increasing fairness and efficiency in the justice process.
AB 690, a bill aimed at ending the use of privatized flat-fee contracts for indigent defense services in California, has passed the Senate Public Safety Committee and now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with supporters arguing that it would improve justice outcomes and save counties money over time.
AB 690, a bill introduced by Assemblymember Nick Schultz, aims to ban flat-fee contracts for indigent defense and establish statewide standards for counties that contract out public defense services, in order to provide fair compensation, manageable caseloads, and adequate representation to those who cannot afford legal counsel.