New California Law Repeals Several Criminal Court Fees

On September 18, California governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1869 into law. As of July 1, 2021, state counties cannot charge certain administrative fees for criminal defendants, such as the public defense fee, the city and county booking fees, parole administrative fees, and others. The signing makes California the first state in the country to repeal such fees, which many criminal defendants cannot afford to pay. The law also provides for a $65 million annual appropriation for counties to make up for the lost revenue from the fees. See Sacramento Bee, Debt Free Justice California.