BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2069
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          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 2069 (Solorio)
          As Amended  May 24, 2012
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |74-0 |(April 26,      |SENATE: |25-10|(August 9,     |
          |           |     |2012)           |        |     |2012)          |
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                    (vote not relevant)


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          |COMMITTEE VOTE:  |8-2  |(August 23, 2012)   |RECOMMENDATION: |concur    |
          |Insurance        |     |                    |                |          |
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          Original Committee Reference:    L.GOV.  

           SUMMARY  :  Provides that dependents of a "Sherriff's Special 
          Officer" (SSO) will receive the same health and scholarship 
          benefits as the dependents of other peace officers in the event 
          of the death or total disability of the SSO that occurs in the 
          course of employment.

           The Senate amendments  delete the Assembly version of this bill, 
          and instead:

          1)Add Sherriff's Special Officers of the County of Orange to the 
            general statutes that grant most other peace officers certain 
            workers' compensation benefits, including dependents' benefits 
            for health care services and scholarships in the event that 
            the peace officer is killed or totally disabled in the line of 
            duty.

           EXISTING LAW:

           1) Provides a range of special workers' compensation benefits 
            for peace officers, including the death or total disability 
            benefits which this bill is granting to SSOs.

          2)Defines a range of peace officers, including the category in 
            which SSOs are classified, and specifies the range of duties 
            and authorities the various categories of peace officers have.









                                                                  AB 2069
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          3)Fails to include the SSO's classification in the special 
            workers' compensation benefit statute.

           AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY,  this bill addressed the manner by 
          which sanitation and sewer districts collect delinquent charges.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Undetermined.  This bill was not referred to the 
          Appropriations Committee.

           COMMENTS  :  According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department 
          Web site, a Sheriff's Special Officer (SSO) is a law enforcement 
          position that provides opportunity for diverse assignments 
          related to public safety and security.  Sheriff's Special 
          Officers are aviation security specialists at John Wayne 
          Airport, provide police services for the Orange County Transit 
          Authority, work as civil bailiffs in the county courthouses, 
          monitor inmates within Orange County's five correctional 
          facilities, maintain Sheriff's Evidence and Property and provide 
          security at county buildings and facilities.  

          It appears that although Sheriff's Special Officers perform 
          similar duties as other peace officers classified in penal code 
          (and are classified as deputies like other peace officers in the 
          county), they are not eligible for the scholarships and health 
          benefits available to their dependents should they die or suffer 
          total disability on the job.  Because SSOs perform various 
          duties that do not necessary fall within the peace officer 
          positions defined in penal code, this bill would ensure that 
          these peace officer benefits are extended to Sheriff's Special 
          Officers who serve people of the County of Orange.        

          According to proponents, SSOs are peace officers assigned to the 
          more routine duties in county jail facilities, and fixed posts 
          and patrol assignments at various county facilities, including 
          John Wayne Airport, county justice centers, county properties 
          and special district facilities.  Currently, there are 320 SSOs 
          in Orange County.  They argue that while SSOs do not have peace 
          officer status; the Sheriff's Department trains SSOs, classifies 
          SSOs, and utilizes SSOs as peace officers.  They are expected to 
          perform the functions of peace officers under the cost savings 
          guise of a "security" classification. That classification means 
          SSO families would not be eligible for the same benefits as 
          peace officer families if their loved one is killed in the line 
          of duty.  









                                                                  AB 2069
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           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mark Rakich / INS. / (916) 319-2086 


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