Editor’s note: Sacramento Snapshot is a weekly series during the legislative session detailing what Orange County’s representatives in the Assembly and Senate are working on — from committee work to bill passages and more.
A new public safety bill aimed at facilitating greater data sharing between state and local law enforcement agencies to prevent legally prohibited individuals from owning guns has been sent to the governor for approval.
Sponsored by Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, the bill mandates that the California Department of Justice share specific information pertaining to individuals in the APPS database, which tracks firearm owners who are prohibited from owning guns, with local law enforcement agencies. This information can include personal identifying details, known firearms associated with the individual, reasons for the prohibition, and more.
While the existing law mandates that the attorney general provides investigative assistance to law enforcement agencies regarding armed individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms, it lacks a clear description of the nature of this assistance, as stated in the bill’s fact sheet.
This legislation seeks to enhance communication between the state and local law enforcement agencies while conducting investigations involving individuals listed in the APPS database.
Assemblymember Davies has previously highlighted the urgency of reforming California’s gun violence prevention programs in light of recent mass shootings such as those in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay. She believes that providing local law enforcement agencies with more information from the Department of Justice will enable them to more effectively and swiftly remove firearms from known criminals, ensuring the safety of our communities.
Last week, the bill sponsored by Davies was unanimously passed in both the Assembly and Senate, shortly after a tragic shooting incident at a bar in Trabuco Canyon where the gunman possessed four legally purchased guns, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to six others.
Anaheim-related bills advance in key committee
Senator Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, has seen two of his bills related to transparency and the sale of public property in Orange County move forward in a crucial Assembly committee. These bills, which have been under consideration for several years, have gained renewed attention due to an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in Anaheim, involving issues such as the sale of Angel Stadium, council decisions, campaign contributions, contracts, potential Brown Act violations, and more.
One of the measures aims to prohibit an Orange County city or the county itself from selling or leasing surplus land if it violates the Surplus Land Act, which governs the disposal of unneeded property. Upon notification of a violation, the county or city would be allowed time to rectify the issue.
The other bill would require any entity that potentially violated the Surplus Land Act to conduct an open review session, allowing residents to provide feedback.
Senator Umberg expressed his disappointment in witnessing numerous government entities resisting transparency regarding the current surplus land law. However, he acknowledged making concessions in certain areas of the measure to increase its chances of passage. He believes that the people of Anaheim and Orange County deserve accountability in terms of how their tax dollars are used, particularly given the ongoing stadium controversy.
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