California Victim Compensation Board

Item 4: Legislative Update

March 20, 2025

SB 490 (Umberg) Erroneous Conviction Claims

This bill would make changes to the process for considering the claims for compensation of erroneously convicted individuals. The bill would provide the Attorney General and district attorneys with additional time to file an objection to compensation of a claimant and allow them to rely on evidence solely in the trial record. It would also prohibit compensation to those currently serving a sentence for another serious or violent felony and require claimants to pay any outstanding restitution orders before being awarded compensation.

Status: Introduced

AB 379 (Krell) Survivor Support Fund

This bill would require CalVCB to award grants to community-based organizations that are led by survivors of sex trafficking or that are guided by substantial survivor input and that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals in areas with a high concentration of sex trafficking. Grants would be funded from the Survivor Support Fund as established by the bill. The bill also would create an additional fine of $1,000 for certain crimes of solicitation of prostitution and loitering with intent, and it would require those fines to be deposited in the Survivor Support Fund.

Status: Amended

SB 470 (Laird) Bagley Keene: Open Meeting Act: Teleconferencing

This bill would delete the January 1, 2026, sunset date on current provisions governing the use of teleconferencing for public meetings by a state body, thereby extending them indefinitely.

Status: Introduced

AB 1213 (Stefani) Restitution Priority

This bill would provide that a restitution order shall have priority over any other debts, liens, or monetary judgments. In cases where an individual has two or more orders for restitution, the restitution order entered first shall have higher priority than additional restitution orders.

Status: Introduced

AB 1375 (Hoover) Child Custody: Human Trafficking

This bill would provide that, before making an order granting child custody, one of the findings a court shall make is whether the child or a parent is a victim of human trafficking. One of the forms of evidence for this finding is that the victim is receiving compensation from CalVCB.

Status: Introduced