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 public safety bill meant to foster more data sharing between the state and local law enforcement agencies to ensure guns are kept away from those legally prohibited from owning them was sent to the governor last week.
From Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, the bill requires the California Department of Justice to share certain information related to people in the APPS database — a state system that tracks firearm owners who fall into a prohibited status — with local law enforcement agencies. This can include personal identifying information, known firearms associated with the person, why the person is prohibited from owning a gun and more.
While current law requires the attorney general to provide investigative assistance to law enforcement agencies regarding individuals who are armed but prohibited from possessing guns, the statute doesn’t specifically describe what that assistance entails, according to the bill’s fact sheet.
This bill, the fact sheet says, would ensure greater communication between the state and local law enforcement agencies during investigations on people listed in the APPS database.
In previous comments about her legislation, Davies pointed to the mass shootings earlier this year in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, saying those tragedies “illustrate a dire need for California to reform how our state’s gun violence prevention programs are operating.”
“Thoughts and prayers are no longer enough,” said Davies. “If our local law enforcement agencies are given more information by the Department of Justice, they can more easily and swiftly remove firearms from known criminals. This is key for keeping our communities safe.”
Legislators passed Davies’ bill — with zero no votes…
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