California legislators reject bill closing loophole on violent offenders

(The Center Square) — A legislative committee has rejected a bipartisan bill to end a loophole in California’s mental health diversion program that allows mentally ill individuals charged with domestic violence, human trafficking or assault of a child under age 8 resulting in the child’s death, to seek mental health treatment instead of facing criminal charges and prison time.

Assembly Bill 433, a bipartisan bill authored by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, failed the Assembly Public Safety Committee when only Assemblymen Juan Alanis, R-Modesto, and Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, voted to advance the bill.