Lead Author: Gipson
Summary: Current California law allows juvenile court judges to criminalize youth for truancy and other non-criminal offenses. This practice increases the chances that youth end up in a juvenile court and, therefore, the juvenile justice system. AB901 firmly decriminalizes truancy and forces counties to seek non-criminal alternatives, including referring juveniles to community based diversion programs before issuing a notice to appear in court. This bill did not receive a Floor vote in the Senate.