Gregg Hart
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 37
Author
Existing law specifies the officers of a county, including, but not limited to, the coroner. Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of a county to consolidate the duties of various county offices in various combinations, including combining the duties of the sheriff and the coroner. Existing law defines a "forensic autopsy" as an examination of a body of a decedent to generate medical evidence for which the cause of death is determined. In cases in which a forensic autopsy is performed, existing law requires the manner of death to be determined by the coroner or medical examiner of a county. This bill would enact the Forensic Accountability, Custodial Transparency, and Safety (FACTS) Act of 2025. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2027, in any county in which the offices of the sheriff and the coroner are combined, prohibit the sheriff-coroner from determining the circumstances, manner, and cause of death, as provided, for an in-custody death, as defined. The bill, instead, would require the sheriff-coroner to contract with one or more counties that have a coroner's office that operates independently from the office of the sheriff, or that have established an office of medical examiner, as specified, or with one or more private third-party medical examination providers that are separate and independent from the office of the sheriff-coroner and that meet certain physician qualification requirements, as specified, to determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death. The bill would require the county board of supervisors to annually enter into a service agreement or service agreements with those medical examiners, independent coroner offices, or private third-party medical examination providers, or with any combination thereof. The bill would prohibit a private third-party medical examination provider that has entered into a service agreement from, during the term of the service agreement, being contracted by the county or the sheriff-coroner of that county to provide medical examination for any cases that do not involve in-custody deaths. The bill would define "in-custody death" for purposes of the bill to include, among other things, the death of a person who is detained, under arrest, or is in the process of being detained or arrested, is en route to be incarcerated, or is incarcerated at a municipal or county jail or state prison, or who is en route to be detained, or is detained, at a federal correctional facility or immigration detention facility, as provided. This bill would except an independent medical examination performed pursuant to those provisions from the provisions described above that require, in the case of a forensic autopsy, the manner of death to be determined by the coroner or medical examiner of a county. By imposing new duties on certain counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern and, therefore, apply to all counties, including charter counties. 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.
Approved by the Governor.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 389, Statutes of 2025.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 3468.).
Joint Rules 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.)
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 2985.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 16).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 2013.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 8).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB1108 | HTML |
| 02/20/25 - Introduced | |
| 03/28/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 04/10/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/09/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 07/17/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/05/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/16/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/06/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/07/25- Assembly Public Safety | |
| 04/29/25- Assembly Local Government | |
| 05/12/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/30/25- Senate Public Safety | |
| 07/11/25- Senate Local Government | |
| 08/15/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 08/30/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/08/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/12/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
Data on Open States is updated periodically throughout the day from the official website of the California State Legislature.
If you notice any inconsistencies with these official sources, feel free to file an issue.