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AB-1902 • 2026

Secure youth treatment facilities.

Secure youth treatment facilities.

Children Education Healthcare Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Pellerin
Last action
2026-04-21
Official status
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify when it will take effect.

Secure Youth Treatment Facilities

AB-1902 changes the rules for keeping young people in secure treatment facilities if they are considered dangerous to others due to mental or physical conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a person who is the subject of a petition to remain in custody until all legal proceedings are completed.
  • Does not allow a probable cause hearing to be delayed unless there's a good reason for it.
  • Allows courts to use certain hearsay statements as evidence.
  • Requires trials to start within 60 days after the probable cause determination, with some exceptions.
  • Sets rules for how long someone can stay in detention based on their mental condition or disorder.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are confined in secure youth treatment facilities and might be considered dangerous to others due to a mental or physical condition.
  • Probation departments, prosecuting agencies, courts, behavioral health directors, and state hospitals involved in these cases.

Terms To Know

Secure Youth Treatment Facility
A place where young people who have committed crimes are treated for their mental or physical conditions that might make them dangerous to others.
Probable Cause Hearing
A court hearing to decide if there is enough evidence to believe someone might be a danger to the public because of a mental or physical condition.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
  • It requires local agencies to provide access to records, which may increase their duties and costs.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  3. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 14).

  4. 2026-04-09 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  5. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

  6. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  7. 2026-02-13 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

  8. 2026-02-12 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1902, as amended, Pellerin.
Secure youth treatment facilities.
Existing law requires a probation department to request that the prosecuting attorney petition the committing court for an order directing that a person confined in a secure youth treatment facility remain subject to the control of the department at the time of discharge if the person confined is determined to be physically dangerous to the public because of the person’s mental or physical condition, disorder, or other problem that causes the person to have serious difficulty controlling their dangerous behavior. Existing law establishes the process for the petition, probable cause hearing, trial, continued detention, and appeal pursuant to this provision. Under existing law, if an order for continued detention is made pursuant to these provisions, the probation department has continued control over the person, except as specified, and existing law requires the department to, within 2
years after the date of the order made by a juvenile court or after conviction in criminal proceedings, file a new application for continued detention if continued detention is deemed necessary.
This bill would require, if a petition is filed pursuant to these provisions, that the person who is the subject of the petition remain in custody in a secure youth treatment facility, state mental health hospital, or other appropriate adult
secure
institution until the conclusion of the proceedings. The bill would prohibit a probable cause hearing pursuant to these provisions from being continued, except upon a showing of good cause by the party requesting the continuance. The bill would also authorize the court to base the finding of probable cause on certain hearsay statements, as specified. The bill would require the person be brought to trial within 60 days from the probable cause
determination, unless good cause to the contrary is shown, the person enters a waiver, or the person requests or consents to the setting of the trial date beyond the 60-day period. The bill would require the court, if the court or jury finds that the person has a mental condition or disorder, to determine a period of continued detention, as specified. The bill would require the department, State Department of State Hospitals, or other appropriate adult
secure
institution to file a new application within the specified time of an order for continued detention if the department, State Department of State Hospitals, or other appropriate adult
secure
intuition deems continued detention pursuant to these provisions is necessary. The bill would specify that the discovery process for criminal proceedings applies to these provisions.
To the extent that this bill would increase local duties relating to the confinement of persons in a secure youth treatment facility, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would authorize a prosecuting agency to request the county behavioral health director or the Director of the State Department of State Hospitals to review any case in which the probation department has not requested a
petition pursuant to the above-described provisions when the prosecuting agency believes that a person confined in the secure youth treatment facility would be physically dangerous to the public because of the person’s mental or physical deficiency, disorder, or abnormality that causes the person to have serious difficulty controlling their dangerous behavior. The bill would require, upon the prosecuting agency’s request, that a mental health professional designated by the county behavioral health director or the Director of the State Department of State Hospitals review the case and either affirm the decision of the probation department not to seek extended detention, order an additional assessment of the person, or request the prosecuting attorney petition the committing court for extended detention. The bill would require the prosecuting agency and designated mental health professional to have access to a copy of the person’s file and would specify the process for completing the request for review
pursuant to these provisions. By requiring local probation departments to provide access to the ward’s records for the purposes of these provisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The California
Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

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