California Tightens Mental Health Diversion Rules | Sacramento News

California just shut down a major loophole in its mental health diversion program — now judges must weigh a person’s full criminal history, not just the current offense, to decide if treatment can replace jail time. Signed into law by Governor Newsom, Assembly Bill 46 strengthens public safety while refining an already effective system — excluding serious crimes like murder or sex offenses — and requires proof that treatment will work and services are available. The law goes live January 1, 2027, with another bill in the Senate poised to expand how mental health diagnoses are evaluated. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e001ec392b0da28b