The Getting Home Safe Act.

Existing law authorizes a county sheriff to discharge a person from a county jail at any time on the last day that the person may be confined that the sheriff considers to be in the best interests of that person. Existing law additionally authorizes a sheriff to offer a voluntary program to a person, upon completion of a sentence served or a release ordered by the court to be effected the same day, that would allow the person to stay in jail for up to 16 additional hours or until normal business hours, whichever is shorter, in order to offer the person the ability to be discharged to a treatment center or during daytime hours, as specified. Existing law authorizes the person to revoke his or her consent and be discharged as soon as possible and practicable. Existing law requires a sheriff offering this program to, whenever possible, allow the person to make a telephone call to arrange for transportation or to notify his or her bail agent, as specified. This bill, beginning June 1, 2019, would require the sheriff to make the release standards, release processes, and release schedules of a county jail available to the public and to incarcerated persons, as specified. The bill would provide a person with the right to request that, upon his or her release from a county jail, he or she be assisted in entering a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program, and would require the county jail to provide or arrange transportation directly from jail to a rehabilitation program or hospital free of charge immediately upon release from jail. The bill would also require a person scheduled to be released from jail between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or sundown, whichever is later, to be released during that time. The bill would require the sheriff to offer a person scheduled to be released from jail between the hours of 5 p.m. or sundown, whichever is later, and 8 a.m. the option to voluntarily stay in jail for up to 16 additional hours or until normal business hours, as specified. The bill would require the person, if he or she declines this option, to be provided the opportunity to choose from specified alternatives, such as free transportation to a location of the person's choosing within the county or within a 100-mile radius, whichever is further. The bill would also require a person who is released from jail after being incarcerated for more than 30 days to be provided with at least 3 days' supply of any necessary medication. Because this bill would impose new duties on sheriffs and county jails, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a violation of the rights described in these provisions to be submitted to the Board of State and Community Corrections, Ombudsman. The bill would require the board to convene a stakeholder group that includes women and girls who have been incarcerated to aid in developing protocols for receiving and responding to reports of violations of these provisions. The bill would also require the Board of State and Community Corrections to establish the Late-Night Release Prevention Task Force. The bill would require the task force to be composed of relevant stakeholders, including women and children who have been incarcerated, and would require the task force, among other duties, to submit a report on January 1, 2021, to the relevant policy and budget committees of the Legislature about the progress made by the task force in implementing these provisions and make suggestions for any additional legislation necessary to prevent dangerous late-night releases at county jails throughout California. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.