New laws in California for 2022
California government officials announced a slew of new statewide laws on January 1st, 2022. These policies addressed concerns from drug offenses and jail time to civil sexual battery and even rape. The main reason these bills were passed is to improve existing laws and update them to match current ethical standards.
Senate Bill 73
Senate Bill number 73 allows courts to grant probation to individuals charged with drug offenses that have since been reduced in severity. For instance, people who have been harshly charged with possession of marijuana would be able to be put on probation instead of serving a sentence for a substance that is now legal. In addition, lawmakers aim to stop mandatory time behind bars for nonviolent offenses. This bill has been deemed a necessity because older methods of incarceration for the same crimes did not favor rehabilitating the individual.
Assembly Bill 453
Cristina Garcia (D- Bell Gardens) is the author of AB-453. The bill states that nonconsensual condom removal (NCCR), typically called “stealthing,” is now a part of civil sexual battery. This law serves as protection from the effects of this act, which include pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The law makes a person who commits a civil sexual battery liable for damages and equitable relief.
Assembly Bill 1171
Assembly Bill 1171 went into effect on January 1st, 2022. This bill expands on the legal definition of rape by eliminating the difference between rape and spousal rape. The reason for this law is that individuals would typically receive less severe punishment when the charge was phrased as a “spousal rape.”
If you are facing criminal charges in California or want to understand how the new laws may impact your case, do not hesitate to speak with our defense attorneys at The Nieves Law Firm.
For more information on the current legislation, click here.
Author Bio
Jo-Anna Nieves is the Founder and Managing Attorney of The Nieves Law Firm, an Oakland criminal defense law firm she created in 2012. With more than 11 years of experience in criminal defense, she has zealously represented clients in a wide range of legal matters, including DUIs, domestic violence, expungement, federal crimes, juvenile law, motions to vacate, sex crimes, violent crimes, and other criminal charges.
Jo-Anna received her Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including being named a Super Lawyer Rising Star the past 8 years, the #12 Fastest Growing Law Firm in the U.S. by Law Firm 500 in 2019, and one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. by Inc 5000 in 2023.
