California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB 690
Criminal procedure: indigent defense compensation.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Schultz (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary
Existing law grants a defendant the right to counsel in a noncapital case, and requires a defendant to be represented by counsel in a capital case. Existing law requires specified assigned counsel to receive a reasonable sum for compensation and for necessary expenses, as determined by the court, to be paid out of the general fund of the county.
This bill would, commencing with contracts or memoranda of understanding for indigent defense services entered into after January 1, 2028, revise the process and require a county or court, when contracting for the provision or administration of indigent defense services, to include certain elements in the contract or other agreement for indigent services, as specified. The bill would prohibit a county or court from entering into flat fee contracts, as defined, or per case compensation contracts in cases involving the death penalty or the potential sentence of life without the possibility of parole. The bill would require the structure of the contract for indigent defense services to ensure that attorneys have the resources and time necessary to provide competent legal representation. The bill would require counties that contract with a private entity or law firm to provide indigent defense services to provide all those contracts to the Office of the State Public Defender every 2 years.
The bill would make related findings and declarations.
Text versions
- 09/20/26 - Chaptered· Sep 20, 2026
- 09/02/26 - Enrolled· Sep 2, 2026
- 08/13/26 - Amended Senate· Aug 13, 2026
- 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly· May 23, 2025
- 03/27/25 - Amended Assembly· Mar 27, 2025
- 03/18/25 - Amended Assembly· Mar 18, 2025
- 02/14/25 - Introduced· Feb 14, 2025
- AB690
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2026 House | AB 690 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 27, 2026 Senate | 3rd Reading AB690 Schultz By Cervantes | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Aug 13, 2026 Senate | Do pass as amended | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jul 14, 2025 Senate | Placed on suspense file | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jun 24, 2025 Senate | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Jun 3, 2025 House | AB 690 Schultz Assembly Third Reading | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| May 23, 2025 House | Do pass as amended. | pass | Set your home in California to see |
| Mar 25, 2025 House | Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | pass | Set your home in California to see |
Actions
- Sep 20, 2026 · Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 359, Statutes of 2026. - Sep 20, 2026 · Legislature
Approved by the Governor. - Sep 8, 2026 · Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m. - Aug 28, 2026 · House
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 59. Noes 11. Page 6802.). - Aug 27, 2026 · House
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. - Aug 27, 2026 · Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 11.). - Aug 17, 2026 · Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. - Aug 13, 2026 · Senate
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13). - Aug 29, 2025 · Senate
In committee: Held under submission. - Jul 14, 2025 · Senate
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. - Jul 1, 2025 · Senate
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. - Jun 24, 2025 · Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Jun 11, 2025 · Senate
Referred to Com. on PUB. S. - Jun 3, 2025 · Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. - Jun 2, 2025 · House
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 64. Noes 9. Page 1905.) - May 27, 2025 · House
Read second time. Ordered to third reading. - May 23, 2025 · House
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. - May 23, 2025 · House
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (May 23). - May 23, 2025 · House
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.) - Apr 23, 2025 · House
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. - Mar 28, 2025 · House
Re-referred to Com. on APPR. - Mar 27, 2025 · House
Read second time and amended. - Mar 26, 2025 · House
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (March 25). - Mar 19, 2025 · House
Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S. - Mar 18, 2025 · House
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended. - Mar 3, 2025 · House
Referred to Com. on PUB. S. - Feb 15, 2025 · House
From printer. May be heard in committee March 17. - Feb 14, 2025 · House
Read first time. To print.