ACR 159 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relative to indigent defense.

Summary

This measure would affirm the fundamental importance of indigent defense to due process, equal justice, and democratic governance, recognize public defenders as essential protectors of constitutional rights and the rule of law, and encourage the development of statewide approaches to indigent defense.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Signed into Law

Aug 2026

Introduced Mar 10, 2026 Signed Aug 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/20/26 - Chaptered → ACR159 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes occurred between these two versions. The diff reflects a change in document format from the official chaptered version (as filed with the Secretary of State) to the web-based display of the same bill on the California Legislature website. All WHEREAS clauses and Resolved clauses are word-for-word identical.

TECHNICAL

The document changed from a clean chaptered format (with formal state header, page numbers, and 'Authenticated Electronic Legal Material' marking) to a web page rendering that includes navigation elements (home, FAQ, sitemap, login, search fields), bill metadata (version history, links to votes/history/analysis), and the same resolution text embedded within the website layout.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 13, 2026

How they voted

32–0

Passed · 8 other

Total votes 40

Aug 13, 2026

D Democratic30

29 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican10

3 Yea 7

30% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (32-0-8)

senate

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Adopted and to Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 0.)

upper

May 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Ordered to third reading.

upper

May 5, 2026

Committee

In Senate. To Com. on RLS.

upper

May 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Adopted and to Senate. (Page 4906.)

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Be adopted. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 21).

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 64 co-sponsors