Legislative Letters
California Legislation - 2024
Welcome to our District Attorney's Legislative Support and Sponsor Letters page. Here, you'll find a concise list of supported or sponsored legislation, each accompanied by a brief description and a downloadable PDF letter. Explore these documents to understand our commitment to promoting justice and enhancing public safety in our community.
Crimes
AB 1802 is sponsored by LADA and would eliminate the sunset date of California’s Organized Retail Theft statute. One of the most important tools we have to combat the problem of retail theft is California’s Organized Retail Theft statute, Penal Code Section 490.4. California’s Organized Retail Theft statute makes it a wobbler for an organized group of two or more persons to steal goods from a merchant with the intent to sell, exchange or return the goods for value.
Victims
AB 1909 is sponsored by LADA and would clarify that in any felony or misdemeanor case where the defendant is granted diversion and the court orders restitution, the victim may enforce any unpaid restitution as a civil judgment upon the defendant’s successful completion of diversion. This is just as they could had the defendant completed probation, parole, mandatory supervision, post-release community supervision, or a term in local custody pursuant to Penal Code § 1170(h).
AB 1956 would require the State of California to allocate funds to prioritize continuity and stability of crime victim services when federal funding provide by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) is reduced by more than 10 percent of the amount awarded the prior year. AB 1956 would also require the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to regularly consult, collaborate with, and consider the recommendations regarding allocation of funding from the VOCA Steering Committee to ensure a consolidated and streamlined grant distribution process. VOCA provides funds for an array of critical services and programs, which include domestic violence service providers, Rape Crisis Centers, legal assistance, human trafficking services, services to address crime survivor homelessness, and other vital services. A reduction to California’s VOCA funding will have a detrimental impact on the ability of Los Angeles County’s provider network to provide domestic violence shelter/housing, legal and other services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Sponsored by LADA, AB 2907 would require a defendant subject to a 10-year protective order who owns a firearm to notify the court when they relinquish the firearm and provide proof of the required storage, sale, or relinquishment. If evidence of compliance of the firearms prohibition is not provided, the court shall immediately notify the prosecuting attorney and law enforcement so they can take all actions necessary to address the violation of the protective order as soon as practicable. AB 2907 will also better protect domestic violence victims by requiring the arresting officer in domestic violence cases to question the arrestee, victim, and other household members (if applicable) about any firearms owned or possessed by the arrestee and to check the Automated Firearm System (AFS) to determine whether the arrestee owns or possesses any firearms prior to presenting the case to the prosecuting attorney for filing.
For 2023 Legislative Letters, click here.
