6609.1. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 816, Sec. 2.)

(a) (1) When the State Department of State Hospitals makes a recommendation to the court for community outpatient treatment for any person committed as a sexually violent predator, or when a person who is committed as a sexually violent predator pursuant to this article has petitioned a court pursuant to Section 6608 for conditional release under supervision and treatment in the community pursuant to a conditional release program, or has petitioned a court pursuant to Section 6608 for subsequent unconditional discharge, and the department is notified, or is aware, of the filing of the petition, and when a community placement location is recommended or proposed, the department shall notify the sheriff or chief of police, or both, the district attorney, or the county’s designated counsel, that have jurisdiction over the following locations:

(A) The community in which the person may be released for community outpatient treatment.

(B) The community in which the person maintained their last legal residence as defined by Section 3003 of the Penal Code.

(C) The county that filed for the person’s civil commitment pursuant to this article.

(2) The department shall also notify the Sexually Violent Predator Parole Coordinator of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, if the person is otherwise subject to parole pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 3000) of Chapter 8 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. The department shall also notify the Department of Justice.

(3) The notice shall be given when the department or its designee makes a recommendation under subdivision (e) of Section 6608 or proposes a placement location without making a recommendation, or when any other person proposes a placement location to the court and the department or its designee is made aware of the proposal.

(4) The notice shall be given at least 30 days prior to the department’s submission of its recommendation to the court in those cases in which the department recommended community outpatient treatment under Section 6607, or in which the department or its designee is recommending or proposing a placement location, or in the case of a petition or placement proposal by someone other than the department or its designee, within 48 hours after becoming aware of the petition or placement proposal.

(5) The notice shall state that it is being made under this section and include all of the following information concerning each person committed as a sexually violent predator who is proposed or is petitioning to receive outpatient care in a conditional release program in that city or county:

(A) The name, proposed placement address, date of commitment, county from which committed, proposed date of placement in the conditional release program, fingerprints, and a glossy photograph no smaller than 3 1 8 by 3 1 8 inches in size, or clear copies of the fingerprints and photograph.

(B) The date, place, and time of the court hearing at which the location of placement is to be considered and a proof of service attesting to the notice’s mailing in accordance with this subdivision.

(C) A list of agencies that are being provided this notice and the addresses to which the notices are being sent.

(6) The notice shall be sent electronically and by certified mail. The timeframe for notice provisions under this section begins when the notice is sent.

(b) Those agencies receiving the notice referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) may provide written comment to the department and the court regarding the impending release, placement, location, and conditions of release. All community agency comments shall be combined and consolidated. The written comment shall be filed with the court at the time that the comment is provided to the department. The written comment shall identify differences between the comment filed with the court and that provided to the department, if any. In addition, a single agency in the community of the specific proposed or recommended placement address may suggest appropriate, alternative locations for placement within that community. A copy of the suggested alternative placement location shall be filed with the court at the time that the suggested placement location is provided to the department. The State Department of State Hospitals shall issue a written statement to the commenting agencies and to the court within 10 days of receiving the written comments with a determination as to whether to adjust the release location or general terms and conditions, and explaining the basis for its decision. In lieu of responding to the individual community agencies or individuals, the department’s statement responding to the community comment shall be in the form of a public statement.

(c) The agencies’ comments and department’s statements shall be considered by the court which shall, based on those comments and statements, approve, modify, or reject the department’s recommendation or proposal regarding the community or specific address to which the person is scheduled to be released or the conditions that shall apply to the release if the court finds that the department’s recommendation or proposal is not appropriate.

(d) (1) When the State Department of State Hospitals makes a recommendation to pursue recommitment, makes a recommendation not to pursue recommitment, or seeks a judicial review of commitment status pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 6605, of any person committed as a sexually violent predator, it shall provide written notice of that action to the sheriff or chief of police, or both, and to the district attorney, that have jurisdiction over the following locations:

(A) The community in which the person maintained their last legal residence as defined by Section 3003 of the Penal Code.

(B) The community in which the person will probably be released, if recommending not to pursue recommitment.

(2) The State Department of State Hospitals shall also notify the Sexually Violent Predator Parole Coordinator of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, if the person is otherwise subject to parole pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 3000) of Chapter 8 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. The State Department of State Hospitals shall also notify the Department of Justice. The notice shall be made at least 15 days prior to the department’s submission of its recommendation to the court.

(3) Those agencies receiving the notice referred to in this subdivision shall have 15 days from receipt of the notice to provide written comment to the department regarding the impending release. At the time that the written comment is made to the department, a copy of the written comment shall be filed with the court by the agency or agencies making the comment. Those comments shall be considered by the department, which may modify its decision regarding the community in which the person is scheduled to be released, based on those comments.

(e) (1) If the court orders the release of a sexually violent predator, the court shall notify the Sexually Violent Predator Parole Coordinator of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall notify the Department of Justice, the State Department of State Hospitals, the sheriff or chief of police, or both, and the district attorney, that have jurisdiction over the following locations:

(A) The community in which the person is to be released.

(B) The community in which the person maintained their last legal residence as defined in Section 3003 of the Penal Code.

(2) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall make the notifications required by this subdivision regardless of whether the person released will be serving a term of parole after release by the court.

(f) If the person is otherwise subject to parole pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 3000) of Chapter 8 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code, to allow adequate time for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to make appropriate parole arrangements upon release of the person, the person shall remain in physical custody for a period not to exceed 72 hours or until parole arrangements are made by the Sexually Violent Predator Parole Coordinator of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, whichever is sooner. To facilitate timely parole arrangements, notification to the Sexually Violent Predator Parole Coordinator of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation of the pending release shall be made by telephone or facsimile and, to the extent possible, notice of the possible release shall be made in advance of the proceeding or decision determining whether to release the person.

(g) The notice required by this section shall be made whether or not a request has been made pursuant to Section 6609.

(h) The time limits imposed by this section are not applicable when the release date of a sexually violent predator has been advanced by a judicial or administrative process or procedure that could not have reasonably been anticipated by the State Department of State Hospitals and where, as the result of the time adjustments, there is less than 30 days remaining on the commitment before the inmate’s release, but notice shall be given as soon as practicable.

(i) In the case of any subsequent community placement or change of community placement of a conditionally released sexually violent predator, notice required by this section shall be given under the same terms and standards as apply to the initial placement, except in the case of an emergency where the sexually violent predator must be moved to protect the public safety or the safety of the sexually violent predator. In the case of an emergency, the notice shall be given as soon as practicable, and the affected communities may comment on the placement as described in subdivision (b).