Photo: Mike Testa of Visit Sacramento
Here are two stories from KCRA3 in Sacramento about the coronavirus and its implications for community life –
SACRAMENTO – A ruling that sets bail at $0 for most misdemeanor and lower-level felonies in California must go into effect by 5 p.m. Monday.
The Judicial Council of California last week voted on the emergency order to temporarily end cash bail in some cases in an effort to reduce the inmate population and limit the spread of the coronavirus
Those suspected of DUI, domestic violence and sex crimes are not included in the emergency order.
The ruling will remain in effect until 90 days after Gov. Gavin Newsom lifts the COVID-19 state of emergency or if the judicial council repeals the rule.
In all, the council approved 11 temporary emergency rules on April 6. They are:
Suspend the entry of defaults in eviction cases;
Suspend judicial foreclosures;
Allow courts to require judicial proceedings and court operations be conducted remotely, with the defendant’s consent in criminal proceedings;
Adopt a statewide emergency bail schedule that sets bail at $0 for most misdemeanor and lower-level felony offenses;
Allow defendants to appear via counsel or remote technologies for pretrial criminal hearings;
Prioritize hearings and orders in juvenile justice proceedings and set a structure for remote hearings and continuances;
Extend the timeframes for specified temporary restraining orders;
Extend the statutes of limitations governing civil actions; and
Allow electronic depositions in civil cases.
“We are at this point truly with no guidance in history, law, or precedent,” Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, chair of the council, said in a written statement. “And to say that there is no playbook is a gross understatement of the situation. In developing these rules, we listened to suggestions from our justice system partners, the public, and the courts, and we greatly appreciate all of the input. Working with our court stakeholders, I’m confident we can preserve the rule of law and protect the rights of victims, the accused, litigants, families and children, and all who seek justice. It’s truly a team effort.”
Although he didn’t provide a definitive timeline, Newsom said life will look different, at least for some time, after stay-at-home restrictions are eased and eventually lifted.
KCRA 3 spoke with experts in their fields about what life could look like:
Tourism
Mike Testa, Visit Sacramento
“Gov. Newsom had talked about some of the summer events. And, again, Fourth of July certainly falls into that. There’s a number of fireworks shows that typically occur, the River Cats typically start at this time. Friday night Concerts in the Park, those will likely not be canceled, but moved a bit. And then certainly the State Fair is another big one in mid-July that could be impacted at this point.”
“It’s a big deal. You look at these events and obviously, as locals, we like going to them and bringing our families to them, but they also bring people from the outside. People don’t necessarily think of Sacramento as a tourist destination, you think of Las Vegas, but the money that comes into the economy that boosts local businesses is big.”
Restaurants
Jot Condie, California Restaurant Association
“I figure a lot of restaurants will figure out a way to make it work, but there’s going to be a lot of restaurants that aren’t going to reopen because they’re going to look at the spreadsheet and figure out that they can’t make it work for them.”
“You’ll see full-service restaurants probably looking a little different in terms of the billing practices. You may see more tablets at tables to allow for social distancing to occur. The downside, what I think makes dining in restaurants so great, is the people. The service that you get. We would hate to see servers being replaced with tablets, but you may see that in the future.”
Schools
Superintendent David Gordon, Sacramento County Board of Education
“You’d have to cut the number of students that might go in a given day. You might stagger attendance. Places have had split shifts, double-sessions, is one way to do it. Different groups of students coming on different days. Those are all the things that need to be figured out, but I think the key is, people are willing to figure them out.”
“The governor has given us a path forward. It may not be the path we like right now, but it’s the path we need to take. And I think everyone will sit down with the governor and say, ‘How can we help you put the path forward together so it works and we can get back to normal down the road?'”
COVID-19: $0 cash bail for these offenses starts in California was last modified: January 5th, 2023 by
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