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Our Verdicts:
Policy and Advocacy Statements
Official statements, legislative analysis, and policy position papers from our team.
Open Letters and Public Comments
Formal statements submitted directly to lawmakers and government bodies
Where We Stand
Mind on Trial's positions on active and recent California legislation at the intersection of neuroscience and the law.
Mind on Trial tracks legislation where neuroscience, mental health, and criminal justice intersect. The bills below represent areas where the science is clear and the law should follow. Our positions are evidence-based and updated as bills move through the legislative process. We support all five bills listed below.
AB 46
Assemblymember Nguyen
We Support
Mental Health Diversion Reform
Signed by Governor Newsom on June 29, 2026. Restores judicial discretion in mental health diversion cases, requiring courts to find that a defendant will not pose a substantial and undue risk to physical safety if treated in the community. Requires mental health diagnosis to be within five years of the offense. Directly affects how mental illness is weighed at the intersection of courts and psychiatry.
AB 701
Assemblymember Liz Ortega
We Support
Solitary Confinement Study Act
Would have required the California Department of Justice to conduct a comprehensive study on solitary confinement across all detention facilities in 2026, with monthly reporting to the Legislature. Died in committee February 2026 despite strong advocacy support.
SB 44
Senator Thomas Umberg
We Support
Neural Data Protection Act
Would have required companies using brain-computer interfaces to use neural data only for its stated purpose and delete it when that purpose is complete. Directly relevant to legal questions raised in MoT's neural data coverage. Returned to Secretary of Senate without passing, February 2026.
SB 672
Senator Susan Rubio
We Support
Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act
Provides parole eligibility for individuals sentenced to life without parole for offenses committed between ages 18 and 25. Grounded in neuroscience showing the brain continues developing into the mid-20s. Passed the California Senate 24 to 11 and is active in the Assembly in 2026.
AB 1376
Assemblymember Mia Bonta
We Support
Youth Probation Reform Act
Signed by Governor Newsom in October 2025, this law limits juvenile probation terms, mandates individualized case plans, and prevents young people from being trapped in excessive supervision cycles. Grounded in developmental science showing prolonged probation disrupts healthy adolescent brain development.
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