Public safety issues have been top of mind for everyone recently, including those of us in the Legislature. Theft, drug proliferation, dangerous driving, and other problematic occurrences have been putting too many people in harm’s way. We spent the past Session working on solutions to better protect business owners, motorists, shoppers, and our communities at large.
Importantly for victims of sexual violence, the Governor signed my SB 285 to clarify that someone convicted of a sexually violent offense and is sentenced to death or life without parole is not eligible for a resentencing under current California law.
Other important measures to protect against sexual violence and child abuse include Senator Grove’s SB 1414 and SB 1043. SB 1414 increases the punishment from a misdemeanor to a wobbler for soliciting a person under the age of 16 for sex, and makes a second offense of this a felony. SB 1043 requires facilities operating short-term therapeutic programs to provide notifications of rights to a child subject to seclusion or behavioral restraints, as well as notices to guardians and the CA Department of Social Services describing the incident and justification of the incident.
The Governor also signed into law two of my bills to increase safety on roadways and public transportation within the Westside communities of Los Angeles.
SB 1297 allows the City of Malibu to install speed cameras at five locations along a 21-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). This will be a part of a pilot program established last year to slow traffic down at particularly hazardous locations, and will work in tandem with Caltrans’ Malibu Makeover project that is providing over $50 million in State and City investments to support safety improvements to Malibu’s PCH infrastructure.
You can read the full press release here as well as this additional media coverage: CBS Los Angeles: Newsom approves 5 speed cameras to be installed on PCH in Malibu
SB 1417 authorizes Santa Monica’s Department of Transportation to issue prohibition orders to deny Big Blue Bus metro services to people who pose a threat to riders and/or bus operators. This measure supports the City’s larger ongoing efforts to enhance public safety for riders and operators of their transportation system. These efforts include the launch of a Transit Safety Officer Program and the Better Blue Bus Stops Program.
You can read the full press release here, as well as this additional media coverage: Santa Monica Daily Press: Newsom signs bill allowing Big Blue Bus bans for offenders
Cracking down on theft:
- AB 2943 (Zbur): Creates a new crime to target ‘serial’ retail thieves by enforcing against the possession of stolen property with the intent to sell, exchange, or return the property for value. The bill also expands authority to arrest repeat theft offenders and expands the use of diversion and rehabilitative programs to address the root cause of theft.
- SB 905 (Wiener): Removes the requirement of proving your vehicle was locked in order to convict an auto burglar.
- SB 1144 (Skinner): Ensures online marketplaces are not facilitating the sale of stolen goods by greater analyzing the activity of high-volume sellers.
- AB 3209 (Berman): Authorizes a court to impose a restraining order on behalf of retail store against somebody who committed a theft offense, vandalism, or battery against an employee within the store.
- AB 1779 (Irwin): Removes red tape to allow a District Attorney to more easily file charges for a crime committed in their jurisdiction when the crime was committed in multiple jurisdictions.
- AB 1960 (R. Rivas): Provides sentence enhancements if a person takes, damages, or destroys high-value property in the committing or attempt at committing a felony.
- AB 1972 (Alanis): Expands the California Highway Patrol’s property crimes task force to support cargo theft.
Reducing opioid overdoses:
- AB 33 (Bains): Creates the Fentanyl Misuse and Overdose Prevention Task Force
- AB 2429 (Alvarez): Requires fentanyl education be included in health classes in school.
- AB 461 (Ramos): Allows students to access fentanyl test strips through a campus health center at a UC, CSU, or community college.
- AB 701 (Villapudua): Adds fentanyl to the list of controlled substances for which enhanced penalties may be levied upon those in possession of a kilogram or more of the substance.
Curbing dangerous driving:
- SB 1297 (Allen): Allows the City of Malibu to install speed cameras at five locations along Pacific Coast Highway to minimize reckless speeding.
- SB 1417 (Allen): Authorizes the Santa Monica Department of Transportation to issue prohibition orders to deny services of the Big Blue Bus for anybody who poses a serious threat to riders and/or bus operators.
- AB 3085 (Gipson): Increases penalties for street racing, including exhibition of speed and reckless driving, to include a 30-day vehicle impoundment in addition to current penalties.
- AB 2807 (Villapudua): Clarifies the definition of a “sideshow” for purposes of enforcing against this dangerous driving behavior.
- AB 2984 (Gipson): Delays the start of a statute of limitations for a hit-and-run if a person fled the state to evade prosecution.
