SACRAMENTO – Assembly Republicans joined with law enforcement officials from around the state today to announce legislation to stop the wave of crime hurting Californians’ quality of life. With violent crime increasing 6% in a year and high-profile property crimes shaking people’s sense of safety, California needs a new direction to protect and enhance public safety.
“It was an honor to gather with law enforcement leaders who work hard every day to make our communities a safer place to live,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (Yuba City). “For too long, the policies from Sacramento have made their jobs harder. With the common-sense reforms we announced today, California can stop the recent crime spree and make our state a safe place to live again.”
Speakers at the event announced proposals to:
- Repeal Prop. 47
- Increase penalties for serial shoplifters
- Increase information sharing between state and local law enforcement to get illegal guns off the streets
- Restrict judges from dismissing firearms enhancements
- Restore “10-20-Life” enhancements for violent felonies committed with guns
- Bring transparency to the good conduct credit program for state prisoners
- Give victims a voice at court proceedings in their cases
- Improve domestic violence survivors’ awareness of resources and services to help them recover.
Law enforcement officials in attendance included Chief Larry Gonzalez of the Riverside Police Department, Chief Bob Newman of the Corona Police Department, Chief Joe DelGuidice of Riverside County District Attorney Bureau of Investigation, Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry, Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson, Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré, and Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes.
Lawmakers in attendance included Assemblymembers Bill Essayli (R-Riverside), Juan Alanis (R-Modesto), Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel), Tri Ta (R-Westminster), Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach), Joe Patterson (R-Fresno), Josh Hoover (R-Folsom), Kate Sanchez (R-Ranch Santa Margarita), Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), Heath Flora (R-Ripon), and Devon Mathis (R-Visalia).
Photo by Santa Rosa Police
Overview of the Bills
AB 27 – Sentencing Enhancements – Exempts firearms use-related sentencing enhancements from a current law requirement judges must dismiss a sentencing enhancement if it is “in the furtherance of justice.” Instead provides that a judge would not be required to dismiss the enhancements for criminal defendants who commit felonies while armed with, or while using, firearms during the commission of a felony, ensuring these criminals will serve longer sentences. Author: Assemblyman Tri Ta
AB 75 – Restore Pre-Prop 47 Serial Shoplifting Penalty– Increase the penalty for petty theft with multiple prior theft-related convictions. This change requires approval by the voters. Author: Assemblyman Josh Hoover
AB 88 – Notify Crime Victims of Parole Hearings – Requires a District Attorney to notify crime victims and their family members if they will not be sending a representative to attend a parole hearing. Legal representation at these hearings is paramount in ensuring that dangerous criminals remain behind bars and away from our communities. Author: Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (More info)
AB 303 – APPS Reform – Requires the California Attorney General’s Office to share any investigative reports and notes on individuals on the Armed & Prohibited Persons System (APPS) with local law enforcement agencies. Author: Assemblywoman Laurie Davies
AB 328 – Gun Violence – Restore mandatory of 10-20-Life firearms enhancements: This will ensure that anyone who brandishes, discharges, or inflicts great bodily injury with a firearm during the commission of a violent felony will be held accountable. Author: Assemblyman Bill Essayli
AB 330 – Domestic Violence Resource Website – Requires the Office of Emergency Services to host and update a website with resources for victims of domestic violence. Author: Assemblywoman Diane Dixon
AB 335 – Repeal Prop 47 – Our businesses and communities are hurting. By repealing Prop 47, we can ensure our businesses and communities know that California law enforcement has their back and will continue to use all tools available to protect and serve. Author: Assemblyman Juan Alanis
Criminal Street Racing and Side Shows Surveillance – Current law requires law enforcement to observe criminal street racing and side shows in person, also interpreted as live via surveillance equipment, in order to legally seize these vehicles. With limited resources and reduced staffing levels, many of these crimes go unanswered. By expanding law to allow law enforcement to use recorded surveillance footage, agencies can keep up with the growing trend of dangerous street racing and side shows in our neighborhoods. Author: Assemblyman Juan Alanis
Criminal Justice Report – Requires the LAO to compose a 10 year report following the passage of AB 109 (2011) to include rehabilitation data, funding and staffing for counties, and rehabilitation programming options. Author: Assemblyman Tri Ta
CDCR Secret Credits Transparency – Inmates are being released early via a secret credit system without transparency to District Attorneys and victims. This new legislation would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to notify District Attorneys of credit calculations in advance with a minimum 30 day notice and avenue for the DA to respond before release. Author: Assemblyman Joe Patterson
Increase Penalty for Fentanyl Dealers – Increase penalties for possession for sale, sale, transportation, and importation of fentanyl, which was responsible for nearly 6,000 overdose deaths in California in 2021. Joint Authors: Assemblyman Jim Patterson, Assemblyman Juan Alanis, Assemblyman Josh Hoover
CLICK HERE to watch the livestream video of the press conference.
CLICK HERE for a summary of each of the legislative solutions announced today.
3 comments
Sadly you wont ever see Sheriff Livingston or DA Becton supporting this sort of thing. Contra costa county law enforcement is led by political sheep and corrupt cowards. The chiefs are even weaker. Pathetic , lib, cowards.
[…] – Assemblyman Bill Essayli joined law enforcement officials and his legislative colleagues at a press conference announcing legislation to stop California’s crime […]
Some of these legislative efforts have merit but it wlll be tough to get anything meaningful through California’s soft-on-crime liberal left legislative supermajority.
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