What is this bill about?
AB 1917 strengthens transparency, judicial efficiency, and due process rights. This common-sense legislation will require prosecutors to file a motion to add back any charges that a judge previously dismissed in a preliminary hearing.
How does it align with yli’s values?
In criminal cases involving felonies, there is a preliminary hearing where a judge determines if any charges against a defendant lack probable cause and can then dismiss those charges if so.
Under current law in Penal Code § 739, prosecutors can simply add back to a case any charge that a judge has dismissed at the preliminary hearing, without any process or explanation. The defendant is then forced to carry the burden of proof in filing a lengthy motion to once again remove those charges.
yli partners with thousands of youth across the state, the majority of whom are low-income youth of color. We witness first hand the impacts of our state’s harmful “justice” system on their lives, and are staunch advocates of measures that will reduce the criminalization and incarceration of our loved ones – and ensure their dignified treatment while incarcerated.
This policy aligns with our Racial Justice Platform, which addresses the impacts of the carceral system on communities of color.
What is yli doing about it?
We have just submitted a letter endorsing this bill, and we are showing our support on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Who supports this bill?
- The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office (co-sponsor)
- Californians for Safety & Justice (co-sponsor)