California Black Media

The Lookout: Six Bills Call for More Responsible Policing, Safer Streets

The California Legislature is currently considering several bills related to gun safety, criminal justice, and police accountability. Several of these bills have already been approved by the Assembly Safety Committee and are now under review by other legislative committees. If passed, they could affect policing in your community, juvenile arrests and rights, tickets for traffic violations, and state policy around gun ownership.

Published

3 years ago

May 10, 2023

Oakland Post

Public Safety Committee Chair Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 574. Under the proposed bill, gun owners would need to confirm possession of all their registered weapons when purchasing a new gun. Jones-Sawyer maintains “many firearms are not reported missing or stolen until they have been used in a crime."

Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media

Watching your tax dollars, elected officials and legislation that affects you.

The California Legislature is currently considering several bills related to gun safety, criminal justice, and police accountability.

Several of these bills have already been approved by the Assembly Safety Committee and are now under review by other legislative committees. If passed, they could affect policing in your community, juvenile arrests and rights, tickets for traffic violations, and state policy around gun ownership.

Public Safety Committee Chair Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 574. Under the proposed bill, gun owners would need to confirm possession of all their registered weapons when purchasing a new gun.

Jones-Sawyer maintains “many firearms are not reported missing or stolen until they have been used in a crime.”

Daniel Reid, western regional director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), has voiced his organization’s opposition to AB 574.

“We feel like the bill lacks clarity,” said Reid. “If the firearm can’t go without a ‘yes’ answer you have a Fifth Amendment issue. It violates your right against self-incrimination. People can’t be compelled to incriminate themselves if they are in violation of this law.”

The Assembly Appropriations Committee is currently reviewing AB 574. A hearing date has not yet been set.

Jones-Sawyer has also introduced AB 1090. It would allow a board of supervisors to remove an elected sheriff with a four-fifths vote.

The bill states that sheriffs facing removal would be notified of the reason and would have an opportunity to defend themselves.

Cory Salzillo, Legislative Director of the California State Sheriff’s Association, opposes AB 1090, claiming it undermines the electoral process.

“This is not good government,” said Salzillo. “This is disenfranchising voters.”

Explaining why the bill is needed, Jones-Sawyer said, “the bill provides counties with a meaningful tool to remove a sheriff for serious violations of the public trust.”

AB 1090 is currently under consideration in the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) authored AB 1643. This bill would prohibit minors — ages 12 to 17 years old — from participating in a program of supervision unless the minor has committed an offense in which the restitution owed exceeds $5,000.

Proponents of AB 1643 clarified that this bill would allow minors to be eligible for diversion programs, and judges and probation departments will still have discretion.

This bill is part of California’s broader effort to reform its criminal justice system by prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment.

Supporters of this bill say one of its goals is to avoid the trauma and stigma associated with youth who go through the criminal justice system.

Last week, the Assembly Appropriations Committee postponed a hearing on the bill.

AB 642, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would limit the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by law enforcement in felony arrests and prevent individuals from being stopped based on FRT information. The bill would also require law enforcement agencies to have written FRT policies and maintain records of its use, which would be reported to the California State Auditor.

AB 642 is not Ting’s first attempt to restrict FRT. The lawmaker’s AB 1215 in 2019 temporarily banned the use of FRT in body cameras for three years.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expressed their opposition to AB 642 because the civil rights advocacy organization believes it does not go far enough.

“If it is intended to stop the civil rights disaster that is admittedly face recognition surveillance, it unfortunately backfires,” said ACLU California Action Director of Government Affairs Carmen-Nicole Cox. “The recently authored amendments do not adequately protect against freedom from unreasonable government surveillance, wrongful seizure, or dissuade its misuse.”

Another bill Ting introduced, AB 645, authorizes a five-year pilot program that would temporarily legalize speed enforcement cameras in six California cities: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach and San Francisco.

“My city of San Francisco is committed to reducing traffic fatalities to zero,” Ting said in a press release. “More than 70% of our city’s fatalities occur on just 12% of our streets.”

The pedestrian advocacy group Walk San Francisco has been a vocal supporter of AB 645 while other organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union have strongly opposed it, citing its encroachment on privacy rights.

The Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection voted to approve AB 645 and has referred it to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee voted to place AB 1260, authored by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin), “on call.” The “on call” designation means that the legislation is subject to change, but it has not been rejected.

AB 1260 would require parole departments to determine an inmate’s minimum eligible parole date based on their sentence and any credits earned or expected to be earned during incarceration. Credits refer to points awarded for good conduct or behavior. The bill would also require parole departments to notify the district attorney when an inmate is being released based on credits earned or revoked and the county to which the inmate is returning.

Patterson stated his bill would provide more standardization and oversight for sentence lengths based on the credit system.

“How can we be sure that an inmate is serving the proper length of time — and this includes possibly serving too much time — without any third-party verification whatsoever?” questioned Patterson.

A representative of the advocacy group Initiate Justice says that AB 1260 is “not necessary,” because there already exists an online victim notification system.

But proponents of the bill argue that the current system places the burden on relatives and next of kin to keep checking online to see if the release date has changed.

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Trump’s White House Pushes to Control California Wildfire Recovery

The executive order signed Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump directs federal agencies to explore regulations that could override California and municipal permitting rules for homes and other structures destroyed in the fires. Land-use and rebuilding permits have traditionally been handled by cities and counties, making the move an unprecedented federal intervention into disaster recovery.

Published

3 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The White House is moving to take control of wildfire recovery efforts in the Los Angeles County area, issuing an executive order that would shift rebuilding permit authority from state and local governments to the federal government following the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told the media when signing the order.

The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed about 16,000 homes, businesses, and other structures across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas. According to local data, roughly 4,700 applications to rebuild have been submitted, with about 2,000 approved so far. Officials say the pace of rebuilding is consistent with recovery timelines from other major wildfires in California, where reconstruction often takes several years.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass quickly condemned the order, stating that it is unnecessary and legally questionable. Disaster recovery experts echoed those concerns, pointing to constitutional limits on federal authority over land-use decisions.

Trump’s order calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration to consider allowing builders to self-certify compliance with health and safety regulations to receive federal approval.

The dispute has become another flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between Trump and Newsom. The governor has requested $33 billion in federal disaster aid that has not yet been approved, while survivors continue to face challenges related to insurance payouts, high rebuilding costs, and legal disputes tied to the cause of the fires.

“Instead of finally sending to Congress the federal relief Los Angeles needs to rebuild from last year’s firestorms, Donald Trump continues to live in fantasy land,” Newsom wrote on X.

Bass said the White House could speed recovery by approving disaster aid and pushing insurers and lenders to support affected residents.

Trump’s order calls for draft regulations within 30 days and final rules within 90 days.

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Bo Tefu

Gov. Newsom, AG Bonta to Local Law Enforcement: You Have Authority to Investigate Federal Agents

The guidance, released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), emphasizes that local and state police have concurrent jurisdiction in cases involving federal officers and are not required to defer to federal investigations. The bulletin follows recent federal officer-involved shooting deaths in Minnesota and California.

Published

3 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a bulletin Jan. 27 reminding state and local law enforcement agencies that they have the authority to investigate potential violations of state law committed by federal agents, even when federal authorities do not cooperate.

The bulletin states that federal and state law enforcement have long worked together on investigations that can result in both federal and state charges, but recent actions by the federal government have raised concerns about obstruction and a lack of transparency. California officials say those developments require state and local agencies to be prepared to assert their legal authority.

“Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access,” said Newsom. “Transparency isn’t a talking point; it’s a legal and moral requirement.”

Bonta said federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state criminal prosecution and warned against claims suggesting otherwise.

“Let there be no question: State and local law enforcement in California have authority to investigate potential violations of state law, even when those violations are committed by federal agents,” said Bonta. “Federal courts have long recognized that federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state law prosecution.”

The bulletin advises agencies that states have primary authority to investigate and prosecute violations of state criminal law, including cases involving federal officers. It also notes that the California DOJ is available to assist local agencies and can seek court orders to preserve evidence or secure access to crime scenes if needed.

California officials pointed to a Minnesota case in which a Trump-appointed federal judge ordered the federal government not to destroy evidence amid allegations that federal authorities interfered with a state investigation into a fatal shooting involving a federal officer.

The move comes amid broader legal battles between California and the Trump administration over federal law enforcement practices. In recent months, Bonta has led or joined court filings challenging federal deployments and enforcement actions, while Newsom has opposed what state leaders describe as unlawful federal overreach.

The DOJ encouraged Californians to report alleged misconduct by federal agents through its online reporting portal, saying the state stands ready to investigate and, where warranted, pursue charges under the California Penal Code.

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Activism

Cracking Down on Human Trafficking, California DOJ Announces 120 Arrests

According to the California DOJ, 87 arrests were made for loitering, 25 for solicitation, and eight for pimping and pandering. Officials said the operation focused on reducing demand for commercial sexual exploitation while prioritizing a survivor-centered approach.

Published

3 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Jan. 26 that 120 people were arrested during a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement operation aimed at disrupting human trafficking and connecting survivors with support services.

The arrests stem from Operation Stand On Demand, a six-day effort conducted from Jan. 19 through Jan. 24 across San Diego, Sacramento, Tulare, and Fresno counties. It involved more than a dozen state and local law enforcement agencies working together to target individuals involved in sex trafficking, including traffickers and buyers.

“This operation reflects an ongoing commitment by California law enforcement to target those who fuel trafficking and exploitation,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“It’s a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement effort focused on disrupting sex trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable, and connecting survivors with support,” said Bonta.

San Diego County accounted for the majority of enforcement activity during the operation. District Attorney Summer Stephan said law enforcement agencies worked around the clock to identify and arrest individuals attempting to purchase sex.

“Our officers, in less than one week during this operation, took action, not words, by working around the clock and arresting and citing 105 people who thought that they were going to go out and buy a human being like they’re a hamburger or a slice of pizza,” Stephan said.

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez chimed in.

“Communities like Santee and San Marcos, which were part of this operation, face unique vulnerabilities tied to transportation routes, student populations, and employment opportunities,” she said.

Bonta said the arrests are part of broader statewide efforts to combat human trafficking. Since 2021, the Attorney General’s Office said its human trafficking task forces have led to more than 900 arrests and connected more than 1,000 survivors to services and resources.

“Human trafficking is a complex, devastating crime, but when we work together, we can make a real difference, and this operation is proof positive of that fact,” Bonta said.

California DOJ officials said similar operations will continue as part of the state’s ongoing strategy to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable communities.