Ahead of the July 14 legislative deadline for policy committees to approve and refer bills for further consideration, the Assembly and Senate Public Safety committees met on June 27, passing many proposals on partisan votes.
One such proposal was Senate Bill 94, authored by state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), which would allow for potentially reducing sentences of inmates convicted of murder with special circumstances resulting in terms of life without parole before 1990.
The proposed legislation was hotly contested during the hearing, including by family members of victims, law enforcement agencies, and Republican committee members.
“I find this to be very, very disheartening, and it shows the imbalance that we’ve come to in this consideration and the overfocus on offenders,” Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) told his colleagues on the committee. “I’m just tired of it, and I think the people of this great state and the country are tired of it.”
The public safety committees in both houses have come under scrutiny by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as bills pertaining to fentanyl enforcement were repeatedly denied by the panels earlier this year.
Some voters unfamiliar with the process expressed shock when they learned about the power committees hold in the legislative process, with members—appointed to the committees by the speaker of each house—vetting bills and deciding what measures the full Legislature will consider.
“A handful of people holding the reins of power is not how I thought the process worked,” William Martinez, a Central Valley resident who said he is frustrated with crime and drugs in his community, told The Epoch Times. “I don’t understand why this small group can do this. And why are they blocking laws that could stop the crime?”
The Senate’s Public Safety Committee also passed Assembly Bill 701—a proposal introduced by Assemblyman Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) seeking to enhance penalties for those convicted of distributing at least one kilogram of fentanyl.
“This is not a drug. This is poison, and it’s all over. People are dying every day,” Villapudua said. “This bill saves lives.”
But some committee members debated with him about its implications with state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) reserving his right to oppose the legislation on the floor.
Specifically, Wiener voiced his desire to include language in the bill that requires foreknowledge before sentencing enhancements are applied. He stressed his fear that some “low-level person ... I’m talking about drivers that may or may not know” could be subjected to lengthy prison sentences.
San Joaquin District Attorney Ron Freitas—who testified in support of the bill—assured lawmakers that someone unaware of possession cannot be prosecuted.
Another bipartisan fentanyl bill passed by the Senate committee, Assembly Bill 474—introduced by Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona)—is designed to strengthen state efforts to disrupt and dismantle transnational opioid trafficking networks.
Another related to drug decriminalization—Senate Bill 58 authored by Wiener—passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee, with Republicans opposed. The legislation would allow for possession of hallucinogenic plant material including psychedelic mushrooms.
Accompanying the senator in support of the proposal was a combat veteran who spoke about PTSD and the guilt he felt when returning to civilian life, something he said was only alleviated when he discovered hallucinogenic therapy treatments.
A number of proposals related to increasing firearm regulations passed in both chambers, most with stiff opposition from Republican lawmakers.
Senate Bill 452, introduced by state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), requiring microstamping—which would provide unique identification on cartridges fired from weapons—was met with industry and law enforcement resistance, with opponents noting that new technology would be needed for its implementation, as current applications, per experts, aren’t reliable, they said.
However, proponents pointed out the state routinely sets goals through legislation and then works to attain them, with both zero-emission and clean energy initiatives cited as examples.
An effort to address trespassing, state Sen. Bob Archuleta’s (D-Pico Rivera) Senate Bill 602 passed in that house’s Public Safety Committee, though lawmakers advised it should later be amended after some Democrats expressed concern about homeless citations possibly increasing if the bill becomes law.
The passed bills will now be heard by other committees, and those that proceed will face debate on the floor later this year.
