Skip to main content
Independent and nonpartisan. SaveYourState is a civic information resource. It is not a government website and is not affiliated with any government agency, party, or campaign.

California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 690: Criminal procedure: indigent defense compensation.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 690 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 14, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Criminal procedure: indigent defense compensation. Primary sponsor: Nick Schultz (D). Most recent recorded action (September 20, 2026): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 359, Statutes of 2026.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Nick SchultzPrimary sponsorDemocraticAssembly44

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 359, Statutes of 2026.
  2. Approved by the Governor.
  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.
  4. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 59. Noes 11. Page 6802.).
  5. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
  6. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 11.).
  7. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  8. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
  9. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).
  10. In committee: Held under submission.
  11. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
  12. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page