AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 4, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 11, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

Introduced by Assembly Member Stefani

February 18, 2026

An act to amend Section 1050 of the Penal Code, relating to criminal procedure.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: no   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the requirements for a continuance to be granted in a criminal case, including a showing of good cause. Existing law defines “good cause” for this purpose to include, but not be limited to, cases involving specified crimes, including murder and domestic violence, and to apply when the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court.

This bill would expand the types of cases that may support a finding of good cause to include a felony elder or dependent adult abuse violation where the victim is a cognitively impaired adult, as specified. The bill would define “cognitively impaired adult” for these purposes.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1050 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 1656 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1656 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 1050 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

1050.

(a) The welfare of the people of the State of California requires that all proceedings in criminal cases shall be set for trial and heard and determined at the earliest possible time. To this end, the Legislature finds that the criminal courts are becoming increasingly congested with resulting adverse consequences to the welfare of the people and the defendant. Excessive continuances contribute substantially to this congestion and cause substantial hardship to victims and other witnesses. Continuances also lead to longer periods of presentence confinement for those defendants in custody and the concomitant overcrowding and increased expenses of local jails. It is therefore recognized that the people, the defendant, and the victims and other witnesses have the right to an expeditious disposition, and to that end it shall be the duty of all courts and judicial officers and of all counsel, both for the prosecution and the defense, to expedite these proceedings to the greatest degree that is consistent with the ends of justice. In accordance with this policy, criminal cases shall be given precedence over, and set for trial and heard without regard to the pendency of, any civil matters or proceedings. In further accordance with this policy, death penalty cases in which both the prosecution and the defense have informed the court that they are prepared to proceed to trial shall be given precedence over, and set for trial and heard without regard to the pendency of, other criminal cases and any civil matters or proceedings, unless the court finds in the interest of justice that it is not appropriate.

(b) To continue any hearing in a criminal proceeding, including the trial, (1) a written notice shall be filed and served on all parties to the proceeding at least two court days before the hearing sought to be continued, together with affidavits or declarations detailing specific facts showing that a continuance is necessary and (2) within two court days of learning that they have a conflict in the scheduling of a court hearing, including a trial, an attorney shall notify the calendar clerk of each court involved, in writing, indicating which hearing was set first. A party shall not be deemed to have been served within the meaning of this section until that party actually has received a copy of the documents to be served, unless the party, after receiving actual notice of the request for continuance, waives the right to have the documents served in a timely manner. Regardless of the proponent of the motion, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the people’s witnesses, and the defense attorney shall notify the defense’s witnesses, of the notice of motion, the date of the hearing, and the witnesses’ right to be heard by the court.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a party may make a motion for a continuance without complying with the requirements of that subdivision. However, unless the moving party shows good cause for the failure to comply with those requirements, the court may impose sanctions as provided in Section 1050.5.

(d) If a party makes a motion for a continuance without complying with the requirements of subdivision (b), the court shall hold a hearing on whether there is good cause for the failure to comply with those requirements. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall make a finding whether good cause has been shown and, if it finds that there is good cause, shall state on the record the facts proved that justify its finding. A statement of the finding and a statement of facts proved shall be entered in the minutes. If the moving party is unable to show good cause for the failure to give notice, the motion for continuance shall not be granted.

(e) A continuance shall be granted only upon a showing of good cause. Neither the convenience of the parties nor a stipulation of the parties is in and of itself good cause.

(f) At the conclusion of the motion for continuance, the court shall make a finding whether good cause has been shown and, if it finds that there is good cause, shall state on the record the facts proved that justify its finding. A statement of facts proved shall be entered in the minutes.

(g) (1) When deciding whether or not good cause for a continuance has been shown, the court shall consider the general convenience and prior commitments of all witnesses, including peace officers. Both the general convenience and prior commitments of each witness also shall be considered in selecting a continuance date if the motion is granted. The facts as to inconvenience or prior commitments may be offered by the witness or by a party to the case.

(2) For purposes of this section, “good cause” includes, but is not limited to, a case involving murder, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 187, an allegation of stalking in violation of Section 646.9, a violation of one or more of the sections specified in subdivision (a) of Section 11165.1 or Section 11165.6, domestic violence, as defined in Section 13700, a hate crime, as described in Title 11.6 (commencing with Section 422.6) of Part 1, or a felony violation of Section 368 where the victim of the alleged offense is a cognitively impaired adult, or a case being handled in the Career Criminal Prosecution Program pursuant to Sections 999b through 999h, and the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. A continuance under this paragraph shall be limited to a maximum of 10 additional court days.

(3) Only one continuance per case may be granted to the people under this subdivision for a case involving stalking, a hate crime, a felony violation of Section 368 where the victim of the alleged offense is a cognitively impaired adult, or a case handled under the Career Criminal Prosecution Program. A continuance granted to the people in a case involving stalking or handled under the Career Criminal Prosecution Program shall be for the shortest time possible, not to exceed 10 court days.

(h) Upon a showing that the attorney of record at the time of the defendant’s first appearance in the superior court on an indictment or information is a Member of the Legislature of this state and that the Legislature is in session or that a legislative interim committee of which the attorney is a duly appointed member is meeting or is to meet within the next seven days, the defendant shall be entitled to a reasonable continuance not to exceed 30 days.

(i) A continuance shall be granted only for that period of time shown to be necessary by the evidence considered at the hearing on the motion. If a continuance is granted, the court shall state on the record the facts proved that justify the length of the continuance, and those facts shall be entered in the minutes.

(j) If it shall appear that any court may be required, because of the condition of its calendar, to dismiss an action pursuant to Section 1382, the court shall immediately notify the Chair of the Judicial Council.

(k) This section does not apply if the preliminary examination is set on a date less than 10 court days from the date of the defendant’s arraignment on the complaint, and the prosecution or the defendant moves to continue the preliminary examination to a date not more than 10 court days from the date of the defendant’s arraignment on the complaint.

(l) As used in this section, “cognitively impaired adult” has the same meaning as defined in Section 9157 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(m) This section is directory only and does not mandate dismissal of an action by its terms.

SEC. 1.5.

Section 1050 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

1050.

(a) The welfare of the people of the State of California requires that all proceedings in criminal cases shall be set for trial and heard and determined at the earliest possible time. To this end, the Legislature finds that the criminal courts are becoming increasingly congested with resulting adverse consequences to the welfare of the people and the defendant. Excessive continuances contribute substantially to this congestion and cause substantial hardship to victims and other witnesses. Continuances also lead to longer periods of presentence confinement for those defendants in custody and the concomitant overcrowding and increased expenses of local jails. It is therefore recognized that the people, the defendant, and the victims and other witnesses have the right to an expeditious disposition, and to that end it shall be the duty of all courts and judicial officers and of all counsel, both for the prosecution and the defense, to expedite these proceedings to the greatest degree that is consistent with the ends of justice. In accordance with this policy, criminal cases shall be given precedence over, and set for trial and heard without regard to the pendency of, any civil matters or proceedings. In further accordance with this policy, death penalty cases in which both the prosecution and the defense have informed the court that they are prepared to proceed to trial shall be given precedence over, and set for trial and heard without regard to the pendency of, other criminal cases and any civil matters or proceedings, unless the court finds in the interest of justice that it is not appropriate.

(b) To continue any hearing in a criminal proceeding, including the trial, (1) a written notice shall be filed and served on all parties to the proceeding at least two court days before the hearing sought to be continued, together with affidavits or declarations detailing specific facts showing that a continuance is necessary and (2) within two court days of learning that they have a conflict in the scheduling of a court hearing, including a trial, an attorney shall notify the calendar clerk of each court involved, in writing, indicating which hearing was set first. A party shall not be deemed to have been served within the meaning of this section until that party actually has received a copy of the documents to be served, unless the party, after receiving actual notice of the request for continuance, waives the right to have the documents served in a timely manner. Regardless of the proponent of the motion, the prosecuting attorney shall notify the people’s witnesses, and the defense attorney shall notify the defense’s witnesses, of the notice of motion, the date of the hearing, and the witnesses’ right to be heard by the court.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a party may make a motion for a continuance without complying with the requirements of that subdivision. However, unless the moving party shows good cause for the failure to comply with those requirements, the court may impose sanctions as provided in Section 1050.5.

(d) If a party makes a motion for a continuance without complying with the requirements of subdivision (b), the court shall hold a hearing on whether there is good cause for the failure to comply with those requirements. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall make a finding whether good cause has been shown and, if it finds that there is good cause, shall state on the record the facts proved that justify its finding. A statement of the finding and a statement of facts proved shall be entered in the minutes. If the moving party is unable to show good cause for the failure to give notice, the motion for continuance shall not be granted.

(e) A continuance shall be granted only upon a showing of good cause. Neither the convenience of the parties nor a stipulation of the parties is in and of itself good cause.

(f) At the conclusion of the motion for continuance, the court shall make a finding whether good cause has been shown and, if it finds that there is good cause, shall state on the record the facts proved that justify its finding. A statement of facts proved shall be entered in the minutes.

(g) (1) When deciding whether or not good cause for a continuance has been shown, the court shall consider the general convenience and prior commitments of all witnesses, including peace officers. Both the general convenience and prior commitments of each witness also shall be considered in selecting a continuance date if the motion is granted. The facts as to inconvenience or prior commitments may be offered by the witness or by a party to the case.

(2) For purposes of this section, “good cause” includes, but is not limited to, a case involving murder, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 187, an allegation of stalking in violation of Section 646.9, a violation of one or more of the sections specified in subdivision (a) of Section 11165.1 or Section 11165.6, domestic violence, as defined in Section 13700, a hate crime, as described in Title 11.6 (commencing with Section 422.6) of Part 1, or a felony violation of Section 368 where the victim of the alleged offense is a cognitively impaired adult, or a case being handled in the Career Criminal Prosecution Program pursuant to Sections 999b through 999h, and the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. A continuance under this paragraph shall be limited to a maximum of 10 additional court days.

(3) Only one continuance per case may be granted to the people under this subdivision for a case involving stalking, a hate crime, a felony violation of Section 368 where the victim of the alleged offense is a cognitively impaired adult, or a case handled under the Career Criminal Prosecution Program. A continuance granted to the people in a case involving stalking or handled under the Career Criminal Prosecution Program shall be for the shortest time possible, not to exceed 10 court days.

(4) In a case involving human trafficking, in violation of Section 236.1, the court shall, in its determination of whether good cause for a continuance exists, give great weight to the fact that the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in progress in that court or another court. Only one continuance may be granted to the people under this subdivision and shall be limited to a maximum of 10 additional court days.

(h) Upon a showing that the attorney of record at the time of the defendant’s first appearance in the superior court on an indictment or information is a Member of the Legislature of this state and that the Legislature is in session or that a legislative interim committee of which the attorney is a duly appointed member is meeting or is to meet within the next seven days, the defendant shall be entitled to a reasonable continuance not to exceed 30 days.

(i) A continuance shall be granted only for that period of time shown to be necessary by the evidence considered at the hearing on the motion. If a continuance is granted, the court shall state on the record the facts proved that justify the length of the continuance, and those facts shall be entered in the minutes.

(j) If it shall appear that any court may be required, because of the condition of its calendar, to dismiss an action pursuant to Section 1382, the court shall immediately notify the Chair of the Judicial Council.

(k) This section does not apply if the preliminary examination is set on a date less than 10 court days from the date of the defendant’s arraignment on the complaint, and the prosecution or the defendant moves to continue the preliminary examination to a date not more than 10 court days from the date of the defendant’s arraignment on the complaint.

(l) As used in this section, “cognitively impaired adult” has the same meaning as defined in Section 9157 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(m) This section is directory only and does not mandate dismissal of an action by its terms.

SEC. 2.

Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 1050 of the Penal Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 1656. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2027, (2) each bill amends Section 1050 of the Penal Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 1656, in which case Section 1 of this bill shall not become operative.