BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The family of former county supervisor Zack Scrivner is breaking their silence surrounding the criminal case against him.

Christina Scrivner and one of her sons were in Sacramento on Tuesday as Bakersfield State Senator Shannon Grove announced legislation to reform California’s mental health diversion law.

“My own father who’s an elected official assaulted my siblings and myself and was granted mental health diversion. Our case was a clear example of our flawed system. Because of my own experience I feel compelled to speak out not just my own hardships but to protect present and future victims,” said Robert Scrivner, Zach Scrivner’s son.

Zack Scrivner successfully avoided jail time for accusations of sexually assaulting his pre-teen daughter and abusing his two sons, by a judge granting him mental health diversion.

Public backlash pushed Sacramento lawmakers, like Shannon Grove, joined by Christina Scrivner and her son, to put forth a bill to reform mental health diversion.

“We tell our children to speak up, speak up for yourselves, tell the truth, be honest, and my children were, and they did. Their answer to their plea, their cry for help, was a stark reality of a broken system under mental health diversion,” said Christina Scrivner, Zack Scrivner’s estranged wife.

Senator Shannon Grove, joined by the Scrivner family and Open Door Network CEO Lauren Skidmore, introduced Senate Bill 13-73.

It would stop people who commit violent crimes from being eligible for diversion programs.

“Such as attempted murder of a child, assault resulting in death, and domestic violence resulting in great bodily injury,” said Grove.

Grove said the push for reform is a bipartisan.

“This bill, Assembly Member Nguyen’s bill, and even parts of Dr. Bains’ bill will fix mental health diversion programs,” said Grove.

On the judicial side, the Attorney General’s office has filed a writ in appellate court to overturn Scrivner’s mental health diversion. So far, there has been no ruling on that. We asked Scrivner’s attorney H.A. Sala for his response to this bill and others being put forth.

He declined, as it has nothing to do with the quote “narrow legal issues” raised in the Attorney General’s writ.

State Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains also proposed legislation to reform mental health diversion, which was named the “Scrivner Act, Epstein Loophole Act, and Mental Health Diversion Act.”

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