Senator Stern’s bills to protect our most vulnerable move forward.

SACRAMENTO- Today, Senator Henry Stern celebrated the successful advancement of four bills, 1444, 1421, 1504 out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and SB 1400 through the Senate Public Safety Committee. 

SB 1400: Improve upon Stern’s prior SB 317, removing the option for automatic dismissal in Medically Incompetent to Stand Trial (M.I.S.T.) cases and instead, mandating a hearing to determine diversion eligibility. It further requires hearings to assess alternative treatment options for those ineligible for diversion, permits MIST defendants facing DUI charges to access mental health diversion programs, and necessitates misdemeanor dismissals when defendants are committed to mental health treatment while facing felony charges.

“It is not fair that we process people and cut them loose.  I refuse to stand by and watch our Medically Incompetent to Stand Trial (M.I.S.T.) Californians neglected year after year. If you support this measure, you will help combat our overpopulation on the streets and in jails with real treatment and follow-up care, which we know M.I.S.T. individuals desperately need it,” said Senator Stern.

SB 1421: Establishes the "Office of Civil Rights" within the California Department of Education (CDE) to investigate hate incidents such as discrimination, harassment, and bullying in local educational agencies (LEAs) based on various factors, and to address complaints regarding access to quality education and instructional materials.

SB 1504: The bill mandates social media platforms to institute a formal procedure enabling individuals to request the permanent removal and blocking of cyberbullying content. Additionally, it obligates platforms to either remove reported material or provide a transparent explanation for their decision, empowering users to hold platforms accountable for non-compliance.

SB 1444: Mandates large social media platforms to transfer a child's data to a parent-selected third-party safety software upon request, facilitating alerts to parents about potentially harmful content. Additionally, the bill introduces protections for users of these safety software providers, encompassing disclosure requirements to children, data protection standards, and privacy safeguards.

“It is abundantly clear that social media poses significant risks to our children. From cyberbullying to self-harm, and even the terrifying specter of human trafficking, the dangers are real. It's heart-wrenching to think about the toll it's taking, with some children even losing their lives due to issues stemming from social media,” said Senator Stern.

More this week: Wednesday, 4/24 SB 1252 & 1471 (EDUCATION) Watch hearings: Senate Events | California State Senate