SB1401 - Criminal procedure: competence to stand trial.

Amended IN Assembly August 21, 2026 Amended IN Assembly June 25, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1401 Introduced by Senator Stern February 20, 2026 An act to amend Sections 1370 and 1370.01 of the Penal Code, relating to criminal procedure. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1401, as amended, Stern. Criminal procedure: competence to stand trial. Existing law prohibits a person from being tried or adjudged to punishment while that person is mentally incompetent. Existing law requires the court to, for a person found mentally incompetent and not charged with certain felony offenses, among other things, determine whether restoring the person to mental competence is in the interests of justice. Existing law requires the court to, if restoring the person to mental competence is not in the interests of justice, conduct a hearing, as specified, and determine the person’s eligibility for diversion. Under existing law, if the court determines that the person is ineligible or unsuitable for diversion, the court is authorized to hold a hearing to determine the person’s other options, including referral to assisted outpatient treatment, county conservatorship, and the CARE program. Existing law requires a person’s charges to be dismissed if the person is accepted into assisted outpatient treatment or the CARE program or upon a filing of either a temporary or permanent conservatorship petition. This bill would authorize a county behavioral health agency to report to the court regarding relevant confidential medical information for the purpose of determining eligibility for behavioral health services pursuant to the above provisions. The bill would exempt from the requirement to dismiss charges instances where the person’s case has been referred back to the court within certain time periods. Existing law, when a defendant is returned to court after specified proceedings to restore competency and it appears the defendant is gravely disabled, requires the court to initiate specified conservatorship proceedings. Existing law defines gravely disabled for these purposes as meaning a condition in which a person, as a result of specified disorders, is unable to provide for their basic personal needs for food, clothing, shelter, personal safety, or necessary medical care, or a condition in which the person has been found mentally incompetent and specified facts exist, including that the person is unable to understand the nature and purpose of the proceedings taken against them and to assist counsel in the conduct of their defense in a rational manner. This bill would clarify that gravely disabled includes meeting either or both of these definitions of gravely disabled. Existing law, in the case of a misdemeanor charge in which the defendant is found incompetent, requires the court to hold a hearing to determine whether the defendant is eligible for both diversion and the CARE program. Under existing law, if the defendant is not eligible or suitable for diversion, the court is required to hold another hearing to decide if the defendant should be referred for, among other things, county conservatorship. Existing law only allows a referral for county conservatorship if, based on the opinion of a qualified mental health expert, the defendant appears to be gravely disabled, as defined. This bill would also allow a referral for county conservatorship if, in the opinion of the court, the defendant appears to be gravely disabled. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 1370 of the Penal Code is amended to read: 1370. (a) (1) (A) If the defendant is found mentally competent, the criminal process shall resume, the trial on the offense charged or hearing on the alleged violation shall proceed, and judgment may be pronounced. (B) If the defendant is found mentally incompetent and is not charged with an offense listed in subdivision (d) of Section 1001.36, the trial, the hearing on the alleged violation, or the judgment shall be suspended, and the court shall do all of the following: (i) (I) Determine whether restoring the person to mental competence is in the interests of justice. (II) In exercising its discretion pursuant to this clause, the court shall consider the relevant circumstances of the charged offense, including the harm done to the victim, the defendant’s mental health condition, including, without limitation, any intellectual or developmental disability, the history of treatment, the criminal history of the defendant, whether the defendant is likely to face incarceration if convicted, whether the defendant has previously been found incompetent to stand trial, whether restoring the person to mental competence will enhance public safety, and any other relevant considerations. The court shall provide the defense and prosecution an opportunity to be heard on whether restoration is in the interests of justice. (ii) If restoring the person to mental competence is in the interests of justice, the court shall state its reasons orally on the record and the case shall proceed as provided in subparagraph (C). (iii) If restoring the person to mental competence is not in the interests of justice, the court shall conduct a hearing, pursuant to Section 1001.36, and, if the court deems the defendant eligible, grant diversion pursuant to that section for a period not to exceed two years from the date the individual is accepted into diversion or the maximum term of imprisonment provided by law for the most serious offense charged in the complaint, whichever is shorter. (I) The hearing shall be held no later than 30 days after the finding of incompetence. If the hearing is delayed beyond 30 days, the court shall order the defendant to be released on their own recognizance pending the hearing. (II) If the defendant performs satisfactorily on diversion pursuant to this subclause, at the end of the period of diversion, the court shall dismiss the criminal charges that were the subject of the criminal proceedings at the time of the initial diversion. (III) If the court finds the defendant ineligible or unsuitable for diversion based on the circumstances set forth in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 1001.36, or if any of the conditions described in subdivision (g) of Section 1001.36 are present, the court may, after notice to the defendant, defense counsel, and the prosecution, hold a hearing to determine whether to do any of the following: (ia) Order modification of the treatment plan in accordance with a recommendation from the treatment provider. (ib) Refer the defendant to assisted outpatient treatment pursuant to Section 5346 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. A referral to assisted outpatient treatment may only occur in a county where services are available pursuant to Section 5348 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and the agency agrees to accept responsibility for treatment of the defendant. A hearing to determine eligibility for assisted outpatient treatment shall be held within 45 days after the finding of incompetence. If the hearing is delayed beyond 45 days, the court shall order the defendant, if confined in county jail, to be released on their own recognizance pending that hearing. If the defendant is accepted into assisted outpatient treatment, the charges shall be dismissed, pursuant to Section 1385, six months after the date of the referral to assisted outpatient treatment, unless the defendant’s case is referred back to the court before the expiration of that time period. This section does not alter the confidential nature of assisted outpatient treatment. (ic) Refer the defendant to the county conservatorship investigator in the county of commitment for possible conservatorship proceedings for the defendant pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. A defendant shall only be referred to the conservatorship investigator if it appears to the court or a qualified mental health expert that the defendant appears to be gravely disabled, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 5008 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. Any hearings required in the conservatorship proceedings shall be held in the superior court in the county of commitment. The court shall transmit a copy of the order directing initiation of conservatorship proceedings to the county mental health director or the director’s designee and shall notify the county mental health director or their designee of the outcome of the proceedings. Before establishing a conservatorship, the public guardian shall investigate all available alternatives to conservatorship pursuant to Section 5354 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. If a petition is not filed within 30 days of the referral, the court shall order the defendant, if confined in county jail, to be released on their own recognizance pending conservatorship proceedings. If the conservatorship proceedings result in the filing of a petition for the establishment of a temporary or permanent conservatorship, the charges shall be dismissed, pursuant to Section 1385, 90 days after the date of the filing of the petition, unless the case is referred back to the court before the expiration of that time period, or the basis for the petition is that the defendant is gravely disabled as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 5008 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. This section does not alter the confidential nature of conservatorship proceedings. (id) Refer the defendant to the CARE Act court pursuant to Section 5978 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The CARE Act court shall hold a hearing to determine eligibility for the CARE program within 14 court days after the date of the referral. If the hearing is delayed beyond 14 court days, the court shall order the defendant, if confined in a county jail, to be released on their own recognizance pending that hearing. If the defendant is accepted into the CARE program, the CARE Act court shall notify the criminal court of the acceptance, and the charges shall be dismissed, pursuant to Section 1385, six months after the date of the referral to the CARE program, unless the case is referred back to the court before the expiration of that time period. Except as otherwise provided in this section and in Sections 5978 and 5978.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, this paragraph does not alter the confidential nature of CARE program proceedings. (ie) Reinstate competency proceedings, in which case the court shall credit any time spent in mental health diversion against the maximum term of commitment as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c). (iv) A county behavioral health agency or its designee may report to the court regarding relevant confidential medical information, including, but not limited to, prior treatment interactions with the defendant, for the purpose of determining eligibility for behavioral health services pursuant to this section. This confidential information shall not be used for any other purpose. The information shall be kept confidential and after the disposition of the case shall be placed under seal and shall not be subject to disclosure to any person or entity. The disclosure of information pursuant to this subdivision is subject to applicable state and federal privacy laws. (C) If the defendant is found mentally incompetent and restoring the defendant to competence is in the interests of justice or they are charged with an offense listed in subdivision (d) of Section 1001.36, the trial, the hearing on the alleged violation, or the judgment shall be suspended until the person becomes mentally competent. (i) The court shall order that the mentally incompetent defendant be delivered by the sheriff to a State Department of State Hospitals facility, as defined in Section 4100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as directed by the State Department of State Hospitals, or to any other available public or private treatment facility, including a community-based residential treatment system approved by the community program director, or their designee, that will promote the defendant’s speedy restoration to mental competence, or placed on outpatient status as specified in Section 1600. (ii) (I) If a defendant has been found mentally incompetent, and the court has ordered commitment to a State Department of State Hospitals facility as described in Section 4100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and is not in the custody of the local sheriff, the department shall inform the sheriff when a placement in a facility becomes available and make reasonable efforts to coordinate a delivery by the sheriff to transport the defendant to the facility. If the department has made reasonable attempts for 90 days, starting with the date of commitment, and the defendant has not been transported, as originally ordered under clause (i), the department shall inform the court and sheriff in writing. (II) If the sheriff has not delivered the defendant to a State Department of State Hospitals facility within 90 days after the department’s written notice, the commitment to the State Department of State Hospitals shall be automatically stayed and the department may remove the defendant from the pending placement list until the court notifies the department in writing that the defendant is available for transport and the defendant shall regain their place on the pending placement list. (iii) However, if the action against the defendant who has been found mentally incompetent is on a complaint charging a felony offense specified in Section 290, the prosecutor shall determine whether the defendant previously has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial pursuant to this chapter on a charge of a Section 290 offense, or whether the defendant is currently the subject of a pending Section 1368 proceeding arising out of a charge of a Section 290 offense. If either determination is made, the prosecutor shall notify the court and defendant in writing. After this notification, and opportunity for hearing, the court shall order that the defendant be delivered by the sheriff to a State Department of State Hospitals facility, as directed by the State Department of State Hospitals, or other secure treatment facility for the care and treatment of persons with a mental health disorder, unless the court makes specific findings on the record that an alternative placement would provide more appropriate treatment for the defendant and would not pose a danger to the health and safety of others. (iv) If the action against the defendant who has been found mentally incompetent is on a complaint charging a felony offense specified in Section 290 and the defendant has been denied bail pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12 [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]