California’s Bill to Reduce the Use of Force Passes Unanimously Out of Senate Public Safety Committee

Sacramento, CA – SB 230 (Caballero) – the California use of force bill that would set a national precedent by requiring consistent policies and mandatory training standards for all 500 California law enforcement agencies – unanimously passed the Senate Public Safety Committee.

“The amendments will tether the success of SB 230 to the success of AB 392, making it imperative for all invested stakeholders to come together and seize the opportunity to put forward the most effective legislative package possible to minimize the use of force and keep our communities safe,” said Senator Anna Caballero. “By working together, we can raise the national standard to reduce the use of force in our communities. I am committed to this effort.”

In the spirit of collaboration and a genuine desire to achieve meaningful change, SB 230 passed with two new amendments agreed to by the Senate Public Safety Committee and SB 230 supporters:

1. The provision relating to the standard for authorizing the use of force has been removed.
2. A provision has been added that makes SB 230 contingent on AB 392 becoming law, tying the success of these two bills together.

“California has the unique and important opportunity to lead the nation now,” said Brian Marvel, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC). “SB 230 sets a historic and national precedent to minimize use of force in communities through sweeping reform that addresses one of the most serious and pressing issues facing our state and our nation. As we continue to collaborate on a solution, the rest of America will be watching – we have a responsibility to lead.”

“As leaders in California law enforcement, we have been and remain committed to working with as many Californians as possible,” said Ron Lawrence, President of the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA). “All of us are forever changed by these events and the dialogue that has taken place around the country. This matter goes to the very core of how we enforce law in California. While SB 230 will set a new national precedent on use of force, we remain committed to working closely with Dr. Weber to deliver a legislative package that our entire state can champion proudly.”

“We need to do everything in our power to minimize the use of force and keep everyone in our communities safe,” said Rick LaBeske, President of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen (CAHP). “To make real progress, we must work together. We must replace fear and anger with empathy and understanding. We must make a genuine effort to understand what it is like to walk in each other’s shoes. Our state is counting on us to come together and enact lasting change.”

Senator Caballero and the state’s law enforcement leaders spent the last year listening to and collecting input from our neighbors, including legislators, the American Civil Liberties Union, our Attorney General, experts and impacted stakeholders from around the state. They surveyed all of the proven best practices from around the country, and they incorporated everything they heard and everything they learned into SB 230.