SACRAMENTO, CA — Vice-Chairman of the Public Safety Committee Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-High Desert) announced Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1406 into law.
This legislation requires peace officers to carry tasers on the opposite side of their firearm. This regulation would prevent stacking both weapons, a practice that unfortunately led to the loss of life. This occurred in the high-profile deaths of Daunte Wright in Minnesota and Oscar Grant in California.
Assemblyman Tom Lackey
“I am pleased that the Governor approved AB 1406. This bill will save lives while building up the trust bestowed in law enforcement.” Assemblyman Lackey said. Lackey continued, “I was honored to champion this proposal as a 28-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol. In this role, I learned how important the singular moment is while responding to these situations, and I know the heavy burden that officers carry when they must end a life. This would be all the worse to know the action was made in error.”
Presently, some law enforcement agencies have made this requirement of their own volition, but it is not a consistent practice across the profession in California. This bill received support from the Peace Officers Research Association of California. It did not receive any ‘No’ votes throughout the process and did not have any registered opposition.
Editors Note:
The bill passed the State Senate in 40-0 on August 23. It also passed out of the State Assembly in a 73-0 vote on January 21. It did not receive a single “no” vote in committee.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 13660 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13660.
(a) Any law enforcement agency that authorizes peace officers to carry an electroshock device shall prohibit that device from being holstered or otherwise carried on the same lateral side of the officer’s body as the officer’s primary firearm is holstered or otherwise carried.
SEC. 2.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
Assemblyman Lackey proudly represents the 36th Assembly District, which contains the High Desert portions of Kern, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, including the communities of Lancaster, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Quartz Hill, Acton, Boron, Littlerock, Pearblossom, Mojave, Rosamond, California City, Phelan and Piñon Hills.
