Laws & Policy

California's 2022 Youth Bill of Rights legislation would ensure that youth who are incarcerated know their rights and are informed of the newly-established state ombudsperson office. With the closure of California's state-run prisons, there is an urgent need to reassert these rights for youth and

AB 503 improves outcomes for youth by minimizing the time they spend on probation, and tailoring probation conditions to meet their needs.

SB 532 builds bridges to a high school diploma and post-secondary educational success for highly mobile students.

AB 1140 clarifies the responsibilities of the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson, and their jurisdiction, to provide oversight of unaccompanied immigrant children held in state-licensed Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) facilities.

AB 124 aims to support survivors of violence, including domestic violence and human trafficking, by providing trauma-informed charging, sentencing, and resentencing relief and trial advocacy considerations.

NCYL works to implement the historic passage of SB 823 (2020), the law that signaled California’s intention to close its Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and youth prisons, to replace it with a system that honors the potential of youth, not needlessly punish them.

Three significant investments were included in the 2021-2022 California State budget that improve upon existing laws to strengthen reproductive health equity for youth in foster care.

SB 493 improves the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act by ensuring adequate oversight, equitable decision-making, and effective investments prioritizing our communities’ most critical needs. SB 493 was not successful in 2021.

SB 224 ensures that middle and high school health courses include instruction on mental health and wellness, and requires the state to develop a plan to expand mental health instruction in California public schools by January 1, 2024.