Senator Min Veterans Justice Bill Unanimously Passes Out of Public Safety Committee

Senator Min Veterans Justice Bill Unanimously Passes Out of Public Safety Committee

SB 763 builds on existing law to allow PTSD and other mental health conditions arising from military service to be considered in sentencing of veterans and active military

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) announced his Senate Bill (SB) 763), which broadens the allowance of veterans suffering from military-related trauma to petition for resentencing, cleared the public safety committee unanimously. SB 763 builds upon 2015 legislation related to incarcerated veterans and their ability to petition for resentencing and removes its retroactive provision.

“I thank my Senate Public Safety Committee colleagues for unanimously supporting my SB 763,” Min said. “After brave service to our country, veterans often suffer from mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or substance abuse. I’m grateful existing law allows courts to recognize the issue of mental health with veterans, but this must apply to all cases after 2015 for true equity when it comes to treatment of our members of military service.”

SB 763 is an answer to the call for a legislative fix by Justice Goodwin Liu in February 2021. Upon the Supreme Court’s denial of review of People v. Valliant, Liu issued a statement calling attention to current law and exposing a critical gap.

Associate Justice Eileen Moore, who founded the Judicial Council’s Veterans and Military Families Subcommittee, and Ron Self, founder of Veterans Healing Veterans, testified.

The final vote count for SB 763 was 5-0.