(a) In a criminal action, evidence of a person’s immigration status shall not be disclosed in open court by a party or his or her attorney unless the judge presiding over the matter first determines that the evidence is admissible in an in camera hearing requested by the party seeking disclosure of the person’s immigration status.
(b) This section does not do any of the following:
(1) Apply to cases in which a person’s immigration status is necessary to prove an element of an offense or an affirmative defense.
(2) Limit discovery in a criminal action.
(3) Prohibit a person or his or her attorney from voluntarily revealing his or her immigration status to the court.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2022, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 12, Sec. 2. (SB 785) Effective May 17, 2018. Repealed as of January 1, 2022, by its own provisions.)