AB-1897 • 2026

Mentally disordered offenders: criteria for commitment.

Crime Healthcare Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Haney
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on what happens if prisoners do not meet the new criteria or how it will affect current prisoners in treatment programs.

Criteria for Committing Mentally Disordered Offenders

This law changes the criteria for treating prisoners with severe mental health disorders before they can be paroled, requiring that these prisoners pose a danger to others' health and safety.

What This Bill Does

Requires that a prisoner must show they represent a substantial danger to the health and safety of others if they want treatment for their mental disorder.
Adds the requirement that prisoners undergo the Historical Clinical Risk Management-20, Version 3 assessment.
Changes where prisoners can file petitions if they disagree with decisions about their treatment.

Who It Names or Affects

Prisoners who have severe mental health disorders and are up for parole.

Terms To Know

Historical Clinical Risk Management-20, Version 3: A specific assessment used to evaluate the risk a prisoner poses to others.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if prisoners do not meet the new criteria.
It is unclear how this will affect current prisoners who are already in treatment programs.
There is no information on how much it will cost to implement these changes.

Bill History

2026-06-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2026-05-27 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-26 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)
2026-05-18 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended.
2026-05-13 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-30 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-04-28 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21).
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2026-03-24 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-19 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2026-03-18 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-11 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1897, as amended, Haney.
Mentally disordered offenders: criteria for commitment.
Existing law requires that, as a condition of parole, a prisoner who has a severe mental health disorder be treated by the State Department of State Hospitals if the prisoner meets certain requirements, including, among others, that the person in charge of treating the prisoner and a practicing psychiatrist or psychologist from the State Department of State Hospitals have evaluated the prisoner and that a chief psychiatrist of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation certify to the Board of Parole Hearings that by reason of the prisoner’s severe mental health disorder, the prisoner represents a substantial danger of physical harm to others.
Existing law allows a prisoner to request a hearing before the Board of Parole Hearings for the purpose of proving that the prisoner meets the criteria to be
treated by the State Department of State Hospitals. Existing law allows a prisoner who disagrees with the determination of the Board of Parole Hearings to file a petition in court in the county in which the prisoner is incarcerated or is being treated for a hearing on whether they met the criteria.
This bill would
instead require that the above-described mental health professional opine that the prisoner represents a substantial danger to the health and safety of others. The bill would
require that the prisoner undergo the Historical Clinical Risk Management-20, Version 3 assessment, as
specified. The bill would make other conforming changes.
specified, and would instead allow a prisoner to file
a petition in court in the county of commitment to state prison.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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