ARTICLE 1. Legislative Findings and Definitions [13100. - 13104.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 1.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13100. Section 13100.

The Legislature finds and declares as follows: (a) That the criminal justice agencies in this state require, for the performance of their official duties, accurate and reasonably complete criminal offender record information. (b) That the Legislature and other governmental policymaking or policy-researching bodies, and criminal justice agency management units require greatly improved aggregate information for the performance of their duties. (c) That policing agencies and courts require speedy access to information concerning all felony and selected misdemeanor arrests and final dispositions of such cases. (d) That criminal justice agencies may require regular access to detailed criminal histories relating to any felony arrest that is followed by the filing of a complaint. (e) That, in order to achieve the above improvements, the recording, reporting, storage, analysis, and dissemination of criminal offender record information in this state must be made more uniform and efficient, and better controlled and coordinated.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13100.1. Section 13100.1.

(a) The Attorney General shall appoint an advisory committee to the California-Criminal Index and Identification (Cal-CII) system to assist in the ongoing management of the system with respect to operating policies, criminal records content, and records retention. The committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General, without compensation, except for reimbursement of necessary expenses. (b) The committee shall consist of the following representatives: (1) One representative from the California Police Chiefs’ Association. (2) One representative from the California Peace Officers’ Association. (3) Three representatives from the California State Sheriffs’ Association. (4) One trial judge appointed by the Judicial Council. (5) One representative from the California District Attorneys Association. (6) One representative from the California Court Clerks’ Association. (7) One representative from the Office of Emergency Services. (8) One representative from the Chief Probation Officers’ Association. (9) One representative from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (10) One representative from the Department of the California Highway Patrol. (11) One member of the public, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, who is knowledgeable and experienced in the process of utilizing background clearances. (12) One member of the public, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, who is knowledgeable and experienced in the process of utilizing background clearances.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13100.2. Section 13100.2.

(a) The designee of the Attorney General shall serve as chair of the committee. (b) The Department of Justice shall provide staff and support for the committee. (c) The committee shall meet at least twice annually. Subcommittees shall be formed and meet as necessary. All meetings shall be open to the public and reports shall be made available to the Legislature and other interested parties.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13101. Section 13101.

As used in this chapter, “criminal justice agencies” are those agencies at all levels of government which perform as their principal functions, activities which either: (a) Relate to the apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, incarceration, or correction of criminal offenders; or (b) Relate to the collection, storage, dissemination or usage of criminal offender record information.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13102. Section 13102.

As used in this chapter, “criminal offender record information” means records and data compiled by criminal justice agencies for purposes of identifying criminal offenders and of maintaining as to each such offender a summary of arrests, pretrial proceedings, the nature and disposition of criminal charges, sentencing, incarceration, rehabilitation, and release. Such information shall be restricted to that which is recorded as the result of an arrest, detention, or other initiation of criminal proceedings or of any consequent proceedings related thereto. It shall be understood to include, where appropriate, such items for each person arrested as the following: (a) Personal indentification. (b) The fact, date, and arrest charge; whether the individual was subsequently released and, if so, by what authority and upon what terms. (c) The fact, date, and results of any pretrial proceedings. (d) The fact, date, and results of any trial or proceeding, including any sentence or penalty. (e) The fact, date, and results of any direct or collateral review of that trial or proceeding; the period and place of any confinement, including admission, release; and, where appropriate, readmission and rerelease dates. (f) The fact, date, and results of any release proceedings. (g) The fact, date, and authority of any act of pardon or clemency. (h) The fact and date of any formal termination to the criminal justice process as to that charge or conviction. (i) The fact, date, and results of any proceeding revoking probation or parole. It shall not include intelligence, analytical, and investigative reports and files, nor statistical records and reports in which individuals are not identified and from which their identities are not ascertainable.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13103. Section 13103.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law relating to retention of public records, any criminal justice agency may cause the original records filed pursuant to this chapter to be destroyed if all of the following requirements are met: (a) The records have been reproduced onto microfilm or optical disk, or by any other techniques which do not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document. (b) If the records have been reproduced onto optical disk, at least one year has elapsed since the date of registration of the records. (c) The nonerasable storage medium used meets the minimum standards recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for permanent record purposes. (d) Adequate provisions are made to ensure that the nonerasable storage medium reflects additions or corrections to the records. (e) A copy of the nonerasable storage medium is maintained in a manner which permits it to be used for all purposes served by the original record. (f) A copy of the nonerasable storage medium has been stored at a separate physical location in a place and manner which will reasonably assure its preservation indefinitely against loss or destruction.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 13104. Section 13104.

Any certified reproduction of any record stored on a nonerasable storage medium under the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be a certification of the original record.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026