The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, along with Californians for Safety and Justice—co-sponsors of AB 321, the Better Informed Decisions (BID) Act—are celebrating that California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 321 into law on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. This bill, authored by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), ensures that judges in the state’s criminal courts have more of an opportunity to review evidence during the course of a case to make better-informed decisions on whether a charge will move forward as a misdemeanor or a felony.
“Individuals often are overcharged or mischarged at the start of a case based on limited information from police reports,” said elected San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju. “Allowing judges to review new information and new circumstances that have come to light at a later stage in a case will lead to greater efficiency and fairness for everyone. The BID Act will reduce unjust outcomes and save taxpayer resources.”
The BID Act Enhances Fairness…