In a case that sparked outrage, a defense psychologist last year convinced a Texas judge that a teenage drunk driver, who killed four people, should get probation instead of prison time because he had an overly indulgent upbringing.
Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto says his bill would even the playing field for sentencing in cases like this.
“The wealthy will always be able to afford better lawyers,” says Gatto. “But there are certain things we can change. The laws can be made to knock out some of these defenses that are a little hard for us to believe.”
If the bill passes, it would make California the first state to ban the so-called “affluenza” court defense.
The Assembly Rules Committee has passed the bill on to the Public Safety Committee.
May 30, 2018Fair Political Practices Commission chairperson Jodi Remke announced Tuesday that she will step down on Friday. It follows months of acrimony with other commissioners.
February 22, 2018His resignation followed an outside investigation, which found that Mendoza likely engaged in "flirtatious or sexually suggestive" behavior with six different women, including former staffers and fellows. The allegations date back to 2007.
February 20, 2018A summary of the Senate’s outside investigation comes after the chamber’s Rules Committee met in closed session to discuss Mendoza’s fate for the second weekday in a row.
January 18, 2018New legislative efforts supporting the “Me Too” anti-harassment movement could change the reporting process for victims filing complaints.
October 26, 2017Women in California politics, protesting sexual harassment and abuse at the Capitol, distrust the response from legislative leaders.
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