Inmates: psychiatric medication: informed consent.

Existing law prohibits, except as specified, a person sentenced to imprisonment in a county jail from being administered any psychiatric medication without prior informed consent. Existing law authorizes a county department of mental health, or other designated county department, to administer to an inmate involuntary medication on a nonemergency basis only after the inmate is provided, among other things, a hearing before a superior court judge, a court-appointed commissioner or referee, or a court-appointed hearing officer. Existing law, until January 1, 2025, additionally protects all inmates in a county jail from being administered any psychiatric medication without prior informed consent, with certain exceptions, and imposes additional criteria that must be satisfied before a county department of mental health or other designated county department may administer involuntary medication, including a requirement that the jail first make a documented attempt to locate an available bed for the inmate in a community-based treatment facility, under certain conditions, in lieu of seeking involuntary administration of psychiatric medication. Until January 1, 2025, if an inmate is awaiting resolution of a criminal case, existing law requires that a hearing to administer involuntary medication on a nonemergency basis be held before, and that any requests for ex parte orders be submitted to, a judge in the superior court where the criminal case is pending. Existing law, also until January 1, 2025, sets limits on the amount of time such orders are valid and requires any court-ordered psychiatric medication to be administered in consultation with a psychiatrist who is not involved in the treatment of the inmate at the jail, if one is available. This bill would extend these provisions until January 1, 2030. The bill would also require any county that, between January 1, 2025, and July 1, 2028, administers involuntary medication to any inmate awaiting arraignment, trial, or sentencing, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require any involuntary treatment to be consistent with the standard of care. The bill would also permit the county to demonstrate a documented attempt to locate an available bed by submitting a declaration under penalty of perjury. By imposing new duties on counties and expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.