(a) A governmental entity employing a peace officer, as defined in Section 830, judge, court commissioner, or an attorney employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of a district attorney or public defender shall reimburse the moving and relocation expenses of those employees, or any member of his or her immediate family residing with the officer in the same household or on the same property when it is necessary to move because the officer has received a credible threat that a life threatening action may be taken against the officer, judge, court commissioner, or an attorney employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of the district attorney or public defender or his or her immediate family as a result of his or her employment.

(b) The person relocated shall receive actual and necessary moving and relocation expenses incurred both before and after the change of residence, including reimbursement for the costs of moving household effects either by a commercial household goods carrier or by the employee.

(1) Actual and necessary moving costs shall be those costs that are set forth in the Department of Human Resources rules governing promotional relocations while in the state service. The department shall not be required to administer this section.

(2) The public entity shall not be liable for any loss in value to a residence or for the decrease in value due to a forced sale.

(3) Except as provided in subdivision (c), peace officers, judges, court commissioners, and attorneys employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of a district attorney or public defender shall receive approval of the appointing authority prior to incurring any cost covered by this section.

(4) Peace officers, judges, court commissioners, and attorneys employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of a district attorney or public defender shall not be considered to be on duty while moving unless approved by the appointing authority.

(5) For a relocation to be covered by this section, the appointing authority shall be notified as soon as a credible threat has been received.

(6) Temporary relocation housing shall not exceed 60 days.

(7) The public entity ceases to be liable for relocation costs after 120 days of the original notification of a viable threat if the peace officer, judge, court commissioner, or attorney employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of a district attorney or public defender has failed to relocate.

(c) (1) For purposes of the right to reimbursement of moving and relocation expenses pursuant to this section, judges shall be deemed to be employees of the State of California and a court commissioner is an employee of the court by which he or she is employed.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), a court commissioner shall receive approval by the presiding judge of the superior court in the county in which he or she is located.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), judges, including justices of the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeal, shall receive approval from the Chief Justice, or his or her designee.

(d) As used in this section, “credible threat” means a verbal or written statement or a threat implied by a pattern of conduct or a combination of verbal or written statements and conduct made with the intent and the apparent ability to carry out the threat so as to cause the person who is the target of the threat to reasonably fear for his or her safety or the safety of his or her immediate family.

(e) As used in this section, “immediate family” means the spouse, parents, siblings, and children residing with the peace officer, judge, court commissioner, or attorney employed by the Department of Justice, the State Public Defender, or a county office of a district attorney or public defender.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 182. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)