BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 The family of former county supervisor Zack Scrivner is breaking their silence surrounding the criminal case against him.<\/p>\n
Christina Scrivner and one of her sons were in Sacramento on Tuesday as Bakersfield State Senator Shannon Grove announced legislation to reform California\u2019s mental health diversion law.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy own father who\u2019s 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,\u201d said Robert Scrivner, Zach Scrivner\u2019s son.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d said Christina Scrivner, Zack Scrivner\u2019s estranged wife.<\/p>\n
Senator Shannon Grove, joined by the Scrivner family and Open Door Network CEO Lauren Skidmore, introduced Senate Bill 13-73.<\/p>\n
It would stop people who commit violent crimes from being eligible for diversion programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch as attempted murder of a child, assault resulting in death, and domestic violence resulting in great bodily injury,\u201d said Grove.<\/p>\n
Grove said the push for reform is a bipartisan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis bill, Assembly Member Nguyen\u2019s bill, and even parts of Dr. Bains\u2019 bill will fix mental health diversion programs,\u201d said Grove.<\/p>\n
On the judicial side, the Attorney General\u2019s office has filed a writ in appellate court to overturn Scrivner\u2019s mental health diversion. So far, there has been no ruling on that. We asked Scrivner\u2019s attorney H.A. Sala for his response to this bill and others being put forth.<\/p>\n
He declined, as it has nothing to do with the quote \u201cnarrow legal issues\u201d raised in the Attorney General\u2019s writ.<\/p>\n
State Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains also proposed legislation<\/a> to reform mental health diversion, which was named the \u201cScrivner Act, Epstein Loophole Act, and Mental Health Diversion Act.\u201d<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n