Existing law allows certain persons convicted of a criminal offense who have successfully completed the term of probation, or term of imprisonment and supervision, to petition the court to withdraw their plea of guilty or nolo contendere and enter a plea of not guilty or, if convicted after a plea of not guilty, petition the court to set aside the verdict of guilty and dismiss the accusatory pleading, except as specified, and in the case of certain convictions that occurred when the person was under 18 years of age, to petition the court to seal the records of arrest and conviction. Under existing law, a person granted relief pursuant to these provisions is released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense, except as specified. Existing law authorizes the court to impose specified fees and costs on a person who petitions for a change of plea or setting aside of a verdict pursuant to these provisions. Existing law requires the court to grant a waiver of court fees and costs to an applicant at any stage of the proceedings at both the appellate and trial court levels if the applicant meets specified standards of eligibility and application requirements, including a person who is receiving certain public benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income or Medi-Cal, or who has a monthly income of 125% or less of the current poverty guidelines, as specified.
California AB 1803 (20212022) — Court fees: ability to pay.
Existing law allows certain persons convicted of a criminal offense who have successfully completed the term of probation, or term of imprisonment and supervision, to petition the court to withdraw their plea of guilty or nolo contendere and enter a plea of not guilty or, if convicted after a plea of not guilty, petition the court to set aside the verdict of guilty and dismiss the accusatory pleading, except as specified, and in the case of certain convictions that occurred when the person was under 18 years of age, to petition the court to seal the records of arrest and conviction. Under existing law, a person granted relief pursuant to these provisions is released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense, except as specified. Existing law authorizes the court to impose specified fees and costs on a person who petitions for a change of plea or setting aside of a verdict pursuant to these provisions. Existing law requires the court to grant a waiver of court fees and costs to an applicant at any stage of the proceedings at both the appellate and trial court levels if the applicant meets specified standards of eligibility and application requirements, including a person who is receiving certain public benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income or Medi-Cal, or who has a monthly income of 125% or less of the current poverty guidelines, as specified.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 5–2 (pass) · lower
AB 1803 Jones-Sawyer Assembly Third Reading — 51–17 (pass) · lower
3rd Reading AB1803 Jones-Sawyer By Wiener — 29–9 (pass) · upper
Placed on suspense file — 7–0 (pass) · upper
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — 4–0 (pass) · upper
AB 1803 Jones-Sawyer Concurrence in Senate Amendments — 60–17 (pass) · lower
Do pass — 5–2 (pass) · upper
Do pass as amended. — 12–4 (pass) · lower
Sponsors
Jones-Sawyer — primary (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2022-02-07 Read first time. To print. reading-1
2022-02-08 From printer. May be heard in committee March 10.
2022-02-18 Referred to Com. on PUB. S. referral-committee
2022-03-16 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (March 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2022-03-30 In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. referral-committee
2022-05-19 From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 4.) (May 19). amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage
2022-05-19 Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2
2022-05-23 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2022-05-26 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 51. Noes 17.) passage, reading-1, reading-3
2022-05-27 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. reading-1
2022-06-08 Referred to Com. on PUB. S. referral-committee
2022-06-22 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (June 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee
2022-08-02 In committee: Referred to suspense file. referral-committee
2022-08-11 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 11). committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2022-08-11 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2022-08-22 Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-3
2022-08-23 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-1, reading-2
2022-08-29 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 9. Page 5183.). passage, reading-1, reading-3
2022-08-29 In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2022-08-30 Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 17.). amendment-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2022-09-12 Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2022-09-23 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2022-09-23 Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 494, Statutes of 2022. became-law
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/d53a7774-690f-4f4e-9e01-1dab4f96bff8. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).
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