20250AB__188697AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-12 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-16 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-06-16 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Elhawary LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary

An act to amend

Section 602.05 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to juveniles. juveniles Wards: probation.

Existing law subjects a minor between and years of age, inclusive, who violates any federal, state, or local law or ordinance, who persistently or habitually refuses to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of the minor’s parents, guardian, or custodian, or who is beyond the control of that person, who violates an ordinance establishing a curfew or is truant, and a minor under years of age who is alleged to have committed specified serious offenses to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge the minor to be a ward of the court.

Existing law authorizes the court to make any reasonable orders for the care, supervision, custody, conduct, maintenance, and support of the ward, including ordering the ward to be on probation without the supervision of the probation officer or ordering the care, custody, and control of the ward to be under the supervision of the probation officer who may place the ward in specified out-of-home placements.

Existing law limits to months from the most recent disposition hearing the period of time a ward may remain on probation, except, among other things, the limit does not apply to a ward ordered under the supervision of the probation officer for placement in specified out-of-home placements and a ward who is transferred or discharged from a secure youth treatment facility. This bill would remove the exclusion of wards that have been ordered to be under the supervision of the probation officer for placement in specified out-of-home placements from the 12-month limitation described above.

The bill would authorize the court to extend a period of probation to comply with specified provisions, but would prohibit the court from imposing terms and conditions of probation or any other conditions of performance or compliance on the ward during this period of extended jurisdiction. MAJORITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature that youth in out-of-home placements, disproportionately girls and youth of color, be entitled to protections under

Section 602.05 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

SEC.

Section 602.05 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 602.05. (

a) A minor adjudged to be a ward of the court pursuant to

Section or who is subject to an order of probation pursuant to

Section 727, with or without supervision of the probation officer, shall not remain on probation for a period that exceeds months from the most recent disposition hearing, except as specified in subdivision (b). Nothing in this

section shall preclude the court from holding progress review hearings at any point prior to months from the most recent disposition hearing. (

b) A court may extend the probation period after a noticed hearing and upon proof by a preponderance of the evidence that it is in the ward’s and the public’s best interest, consistent with

Section 202.

(1) At the noticed hearing, the probation agency shall submit a report to the court detailing the basis for any request to extend probation.

(2) The court shall provide the ward and the prosecuting attorney with the opportunity to present relevant evidence. The court has discretion to receive evidence by testimony, declaration, and other documentary evidence.

(3) In cases in which the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence a basis for extending probation, the court shall state the reasons for the findings orally on the record. The court shall also set forth the reasons in an order entered upon the minutes if requested by either party or when the proceedings are not being recorded electronically or reported by a court reporter.

(4) If the court finds good cause to continue the noticed hearing, probation shall continue until completion of the noticed hearing, provided that continuance shall be for only as long as necessary. (

c) If the court extends probation at the noticed hearing, the court shall

schedule and hold subsequent noticed hearings for the ward pursuant to subdivision (

b) not less frequently than every six months for the remainder of the wardship period. (

d) This

section does not preclude termination of a ward’s probation before the end of a 12-month period. (

e) Prior to terminating jurisdiction over a youth who is described by subdivision (

a) of

Section 607.2, the court shall comply with the provisions of

Section 607.2. The requirement to comply with

Section 607.2 shall not be a basis for extending the probation period pursuant to subdivision (b), except if the procedures described in

Section 607.2 cannot be completed before the end of the period of probation. The court may maintain jurisdiction beyond the end of the probation period for the purpose of complying with

Section 607.2, but shall not impose any terms and conditions of probation or any other conditions of performance or compliance on the ward during this period of extended jurisdiction. (

f) This

section does not apply to a ward while serving a custodial commitment to a juvenile hall, juvenile home, ranch, camp, or forestry camp pursuant to

Section 730. (g)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section does not apply to a ward who is committed to a secure youth treatment facility pursuant to

Section while the ward has any remaining baseline or modified baseline term, whether the ward remains in the secure youth treatment facility or has been transferred to a less restrictive program pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (

f) of

Section 875.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section shall apply to a ward upon discharge to a period of probation supervision in the community pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (

e) of

Section 875, or upon the commitment being set aside pursuant to

Section 779.5.</xhtml:p>"?> (

g) This

section does not apply to any ward who is transferred from a secure youth treatment facility to a less restrictive program pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (

f) of

Section or to any ward who is discharged from a secure youth treatment facility pursuant to a probation discharge hearing described in subdivision (

e) of

Section 875.