This change returns California law to the pre-1949 era. California's adoption of the diminished capacity standard rested ultimately on the English insanity test formulated in 1843 in Queen v. M'Naghten. California codified the insanity plea in 1927. In 1949, in People v. Wells, the State took the stand that psychiatric evidence was relevant to a defendant's specific mental state at the time of the crime. People v. Gorshen further expressed and defined this view. However, Senate Bill 54 rejects the reasoning and rules developed in this series of cases. The legislature has evidently decided that the only relevant question is one of intent. Once intent is shown, no other mental state is required to convict a defendant. Nor is it relevant whether defendants knew of their obligation to conform their behavior to acceptable societal standards. Nevertheless, it is unclear what evidence would prove whether the defendant actually formed the requisite mental state. Further legislation in this area is likely. Reference notes are provided.