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SB-444 University of California: Berkeley and Irvine law schools: Pro Se Indigent Litigant Research Program.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 07/09/2020 09:00 PM
SB444:v94#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  July 27, 2020
Amended  IN  Senate  January 15, 2020
Amended  IN  Senate  January 08, 2020
Amended  IN  Senate  January 06, 2020
Amended  IN  Senate  March 25, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 444

Introduced by Senator Umberg
(Coauthor: Senator Stern)

February 21, 2019

An act to add Article 7.9 (commencing with Section 92685) to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to the University of California.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 444, as amended, Umberg. University of California: Berkeley and Irvine law schools: Pro Se Indigent Litigant Pilot Project. Research Program.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The University of California comprises 10 campuses, located at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. The University of California operates law schools at campuses in Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
This bill would request the regents to enact, no later than July 1, 2021, a resolution to authorize the university’s Berkeley and Irvine law schools, in consultation with the superior courts of the Counties of Alameda and Orange, respectively, to participate in a pilot project research program to develop artificial intelligence or machine-learning solutions to address issues of access to justice faced by pro se indigent litigants who are residents of those counties.

If the regents enact this resolution, commencing July 1, 2022, each of the participating law schools would be authorized to expend funds made available for the pilot project for designated purposes of the pilot project, as specified. The bill would require the regents to determine on July 1, 2023, whether the participating law schools have accomplished at least one of 3 specified milestones. A participating law school would be allowed to continue its participation in the pilot project only if the regents determine that the law school has accomplished at least one of the 3 milestones referenced above.

The bill would require each participating law school, no later than March 31, 2024, to submit to specified public officials copies of a report including its findings and recommendations relating to the goals, challenges, successes, and potential areas of growth and development with respect to the purposes of the pilot program. research program.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Article 7.9 (commencing with Section 92685) is added to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:
Article  7.9. Law Schools: Pro Se Indigent Litigant Pilot Project Research Program

92685.
 (a) The regents are requested to enact, no later than July 1, 2021, a resolution to authorize the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and the University of California, Irvine School of Law, in consultation with the Superior Court for the County of Alameda and the Superior Court for the County of Orange, respectively, to participate in a pilot project research program to develop artificial intelligence or machine-learning solutions to address issues of access to justice faced by pro se indigent litigants who are residents of the respective county. As used in this article, “regents” means the Regents of the University of California.

(b)If the regents enact the resolution referenced in subdivision (a) in a timely manner, all of the following requirements shall apply:

(1)Commencing July 1, 2022, each participating law school may use funds made available for the pilot project to cover necessary expenses of the pilot project, which may include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the following:

(A)Obtaining and licensing any data necessary for implementation of the pilot project.

(B)Reimbursing laboratory, equipment, and staff time that are used as part of the pilot project.

(C)Other relevant costs associated with building a workable prototype, meeting the milestone requirements specified in paragraph (5), and preparing and distributing the reports required by subdivision (c).

(2)

(b) (1) In implementing this pilot project, research program, each participating law school shall be authorized to work with any other school, department, or other part of their respective campuses, as well as with any campus of the California State University or the California Community Colleges. Colleges, and shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that it does not duplicate the efforts of the other participating law school.

(3)In implementing this pilot project, each participating law school shall work independently, but shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that it does not duplicate the efforts of the other participating law school.

(4)

(2) In implementing this pilot project, research program, each participating law school shall be guided by the Asilomar AI Principles endorsed by the Legislature in Chapter 206 of the Statutes of 2018 (Assembly Concurrent Resolution 215 of the 2017–18 Regular Session).

(5)(A)On July 1, 2023, the regents shall determine whether each participating law school has accomplished at least one of the following milestones with respect to implementation of the pilot project:

(i)Completion of a study analyzing the feasibility of the project.

(ii)Completion of a comprehensive listing of the steps required to complete the project.

(iii)Completion of a study listing and explaining all of the documentary and functional requirements for completing the project.

(B)A participating law school shall be allowed to continue its participation in the pilot project only if the regents determine that the law school has accomplished at least one of the milestones set forth in subparagraph (A) by July 1, 2023.

(c) No later than March 31, 2024, each participating law school shall submit a report including its findings and recommendations relating to the goals, challenges, successes, and potential areas of growth and development with respect to the purposes of the pilot research program referenced in subdivision (a). Copies of this report shall be submitted to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Chief Justice of California, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor, and to the presiding judge of each participating superior court in the state. court.