In its second hearing in 2024, the Assembly’s Public Safety Committee passed every bill considered Feb. 27 in what some say was a “refreshing” change of tone after a series of controversial decisions to kill bills made by the group in past years.
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas replaced most of the eight-member committee last November.
Only three members of the prior committee are still serving this year, including Republican Vice-Chair Assemblyman Juan Alanis who agreed the group is now focused on identifying solutions that benefit all Californians.
“It’s looking good for California for public safety,” Mr. Alanis told The Epoch Times after the hearing. “I’m very thankful for the speaker, and I think we’ll have some great changes.”
Another assemblyman said he is grateful for the new public safety committee’s deliberations and priorities.
“This is a different public safety committee than I have been in front of,” Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson told The Epoch Times after two of his bills—one related to restitution for sex trafficking victims and another seeking to lower the threshold for wiretapping fentanyl dealers—cleared the committee. “They literally had serious discussions about how to get there, not how to kill it.”
After several of his bills introduced in prior years were dismissed by former committee members—in what some said were pre-determined outcomes orchestrated by the previous chair, Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer—he said he has, thus far, been encouraged by the newly composed committee.
“I’m astounded that [one bill] came out with the votes that it did,” Mr. Patterson said. “As the thing progressed, I just saw something really encouraging happen here.”
Citing the focus on expert witness testimony for both bills and open-minded approach from lawmakers on the committee, he said the change of pace from prior years is advantageous for the state.
“They thought about it and were serious about it,” Mr. Patterson said. “We’re two for two, and I’m pleased today.”
Bills that sought to increase penalties for crimes such as fentanyl distribution and theft, among other things, were killed by the public safety committee in prior years. Senate Bill 44, focused on child sex trafficking, was one such proposal initially rejected by the committee—though swift public outrage and intervention from Gov. Gavin Newsom and Speaker Rivas forced the group to ultimately reconsider and pass the bill.
The committee shakeup came soon after, with the replacement of Mr. Jones-Sawyer the first to be announced. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty was ultimately appointed by Mr. Rivas to replace him.
“Californians have a right to be safe in their homes and on their streets,” Mr. Rivas said last November. “I’m confident Assemblymember McCarty will bring commitment and conscientiousness to this role.”
Mr. McCarty said Jan. 9 that while the Legislature has made great strides in criminal justice reform efforts, a more balanced approach is needed to benefit communities across the state.
“I don’t think we’ve kept up in focusing on accountability at the front end, especially for people who are repeat offenders,” Mr. McCarty told The Epoch Times after his first hearing as chair of the committee. “There are a lot of proposals and a lot of ideas, and my job is to kind of be the referee and bring us to come together and find a middle-ground common sense package going forward.”
