(a) A prisoner may request a hearing before the Board of Prison Terms, and the board shall conduct a hearing if so requested, for the purpose of proving that the prisoner meets the criteria in Section 2962. At the hearing, the burden of proof shall be on the person or agency who certified the prisoner under subdivision (d) of Section 2962. If the prisoner or any person appearing on the prisoner’s behalf at the hearing requests it, the board shall appoint two independent professionals as provided for in Section 2978. The prisoner shall be informed at the hearing of the right to request a trial pursuant to subdivision (b). The Board of Prison Terms shall provide a prisoner who requests trial a petition form and instructions for filing the petition.

(b) A prisoner who disagrees with the determination of the Board of Prison Terms that the prisoner meets the criteria of Section 2962 may file in the superior court of the county in which the prisoner is incarcerated or is being treated a petition for a hearing on whether the prisoner, as of the date of the Board of Prison Terms hearing, met the criteria of Section 2962. The court shall conduct a hearing on the petition within 60 calendar days after the petition is filed, unless either time is waived by the petitioner or the petitioner’s counsel or good cause is shown. Evidence offered for the purpose of proving the prisoner’s behavior or mental status subsequent to the Board of Prison Terms hearing shall not be considered. The order of the Board of Prison Terms shall be in effect until the completion of the court proceedings. The court shall advise the petitioner of the right to be represented by an attorney and of the right to a jury trial. The attorney for the petitioner shall be given a copy of the petition and any supporting documents. The hearing shall be a civil hearing. In order to reduce costs, the rules of criminal discovery, as well as civil discovery, shall be applicable. The standard of proof shall be beyond a reasonable doubt, and if the trial is by jury, the jury shall be unanimous in its verdict. The trial shall be by jury unless waived by both the person and the district attorney. The court may, upon stipulation of both parties, receive in evidence the affidavit or declaration of any psychiatrist, psychologist, or other professional person who was involved in the certification and hearing process, or any professional person involved in the evaluation or treatment of the petitioner during the certification process. The court may allow the affidavit or declaration to be read and the contents thereof considered in the rendering of a decision or verdict in any proceeding held pursuant to this subdivision, or subdivision (c), or subdivision (a) of Section 2972. If the court or jury reverses the determination of the Board of Prison Terms, the court shall stay the execution of the decision for five working days to allow for an orderly release of the prisoner.

(c) If the Board of Prison Terms continues a parolee’s mental health treatment under Section 2962 when it continues the parolee’s parole under Section 3001, the procedures of this section shall only be applicable for the purpose of determining if the parolee has a severe mental health disorder, whether the parolee’s severe mental health disorder is not in remission or cannot be kept in remission without treatment, and whether by reason of the parolee’s severe mental health disorder, the parolee represents a substantial danger of physical harm to others.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 9, Sec. 8. (AB 46) Effective January 1, 2020.)