A bill that would expand Californians' access to information about police officers’ excessive use of force is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk after it passed a final Senate vote on Thursday.
Senate Bill 16 passed the state Senate with a vote of 29-9 only a day after the Assembly approved the bill on a vote of 57-13. If Newsom signs the bill, it would give Californians the ability to see when police officers have made unlawful arrests or searches, discriminated against protected classes and used excessive force. Lawmakers say the bill will increase transparency and help hold law enforcement accountable.
“Communities deserve to know that those hired to protect them can be counted on to do so,” said Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, in a statement. “With SB 16, we will now have the tools to hold our police departments accountable and rebuild trust.”
Skinner, who introduced the legislation, added that the bill also “sends a clear message that officers who persist in racist or abusive behavior will not be hidden from the public any longer.”
Newsom is expected to sign the bill, which law enforcement representatives pushed to have amended.
Police groups successfully lobbied to only have cases where there were "sustained findings" against officers be made public. The original bill would have made every incident “involving force that is unreasonable or excessive” available to Californians.
Another bill, SB 2, that would allow the decertification of police officers for serious misconduct is still awaiting lawmakers’ final vote. By decertifying officers, the bill would effectively force them out of the profession.
Senator Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, introduced the bill together with and Senate President pro Tempore Atkins, D-San Diego. Bradford said the bill is another attempt to increase the accountability of law enforcement officers.
“California is able to revoke the certification or licenses of bad doctors, lawyers, teachers and even barbers, but is unable to decertify police officers who have broken the law and violated the public trust, “ said Bradford.
Bradford added that California is one of only five states in the country that lacks the authority to decertify law enforcement officers found to have committed serious misconduct.
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