More CPOA-Supported Bills Signed by Governor

Week of September 26, 2016 

By Shaun Rundle, Government Affairs and Public Safety Specialist

Within the last few days Governor Brown has signed into law a handful of public safety bills, with topics related to controlled substances, trap and trace devices, and law enforcement contact processes for service providers. SB 139 by Senator Cathleen Galgiani of Stockton and AB 1924, authored by Assembly member Evan Low of Campbell were bills that CPOA supports and lobbied for signature. The Governor has hundreds more to get through before a September 30th signature deadline, and several law enforcement bills are among them.

Senator Galgiani has maintained her devotion to the controlled substances issue, and has made over the last few years significant strides to address growing usage concerns, specifically in response to 2014’s Prop 47. In 2015 she introduced SB 333 which would have reinstated felony charges for possessions of date-rape drugs with intent to commit sexual assault. CPOA supported and lobbied the bill, which made its way to the Governor’s desk last October where he vetoed the measure.

Her bill this year, SB 139 also addresses controlled substances, with specific attention to synthetic compounds. It was signed into law by the Governor last Friday.

SB 139 (Galgiani-D) Controlled Substances. Expands the definition of a synthetic cannabinoid compound by listing additional chemical categories and myriad individual chemicals as synthetic cannabinoids. In addition, provides that a first offense of using or possessing a synthetic stimulant compound or synthetic cannabinoid is punishable as an infraction, a second offense is punishable as an infraction or a misdemeanor, and a third or subsequent offense is punishable as a misdemeanor.

Another bill that CPOA lobbied for support this year, and was also signed by Governor Jerry Brown last week as AB 1924 in regards to pen registers and trap and trace devices.

AB 1924 (Low-D) Privacy: Electronic Communications. Provides an exemption from the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) for pen registers and trap and trace devices to permit authorization for the devices to be used for 60 days.

 

Governor Brown now has until Friday, September 30th to sign any bills on his desk. That number is over 300 this week, so as more public safety bills are signed or vetoed, CPOA will provide updates to its members.