BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 979|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 979
Author: Weber (D)
Amended: 5/24/13 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/25/13
AYES: Hancock, Anderson, Block, De Le�n, Knight, Liu, Steinberg
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/30/13 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Peace officers: Maritime Peace Officer Standards
Training Act of 2013
SOURCE : Port of Los Angeles
DIGEST : This bill requires peace officers who serve as crew
members on a waterborne law enforcement vessel to complete a
course in basic maritime operations for law enforcement
officers, as specified.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Requires all peace officers to complete an introductory
course of training prescribed by the Committee on Peace
Officers Standards and Training (POST), demonstrated by
passage of an appropriate examination developed by POST.
2. Empowers POST to develop and implement programs to increase
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the effectiveness of law enforcement.
3. Authorizes POST, for the purpose of raising the level of
competence of local law enforcement officers, to adopt rules
establishing minimum standards related to physical, mental
and moral fitness and training that shall govern the
recruitment of any peace officers in California.
4. Requires POST to conduct research concerning job-related
educational standards and job-related selection standards to
include vision, hearing, physical ability, and emotional
stability and adopt standards supported by this research.
This bill:
1. Requires peace officers to complete a course in basic
maritime operations for law enforcement officers if they meet
all of the following criteria:
A. The officer is employed by a city, county, city and
county, or district that has adopted a resolution
implementing this bill;
B. The officer falls within a classification identified by
the local governing body;
C. The officer is assigned in a jurisdiction that includes
navigable waters; and,
D. The officer serves as a crew member on a waterborne law
enforcement vessel.
2. Specifies that the course shall include boat handling, chart
reading, navigation rules, and comprehensive training
regarding maritime boarding, arrest procedures, vessel
identification, searches, and counterterrorism practices and
procedures, and requires that the curriculum be consistent
with federal standards and tactical training.
3. Provides that this bill shall only become operative in a
city, county, city and county, or district when all of the
following conditions apply:
A. The federal Department of Homeland Security provides
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funding to the locality;
B. The local governing body adopts a resolution agreeing
to implement this bill; and,
C. The local governing body identifies the specific
classification of peace officers in their jurisdiction
that will be subject to the training requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/26/13)
Port of Los Angeles (source)
California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains
California Association of Port Authorities
California Marine Parks and Harbors Association
California Yacht Brokers Association
Marina Recreation Association
National Maritime Manufacturers Association
Western Boaters Safety Group
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author:
Maritime training has not only evolved but become a necessity
among law enforcement agencies whose jurisdictions may include
maritime areas. For emergencies or multi-jurisdictional
operations, the time to set a standard that all agencies and
departments can share and build upon is long overdue.
The Post commission has already approved three courses for
maritime peace officers that are taught at the regional
maritime law enforcement training center at the port of Los
Angeles. These courses can be exported to any training
facility. Additionally, this bill would come at no cost to
the state, as its provisions would apply only if federal funds
become available.
California's dramatic and lengthy coastline, rivers, dams,
ports, harbors and the bay delta require a large and constant
waterborne presence of peace officers for the protection of
California's waterways, especially in emergency situations
such as natural and manmade disasters.
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Skill sets waterborne peace officers may need include boat
handling, navigation, weather knowledge, boating laws,
maritime boarding and arrest procedures, vessel identification
and counterterrorism practices.
As agencies such as the Coast Guard, sheriff's departments,
and police departments have enhanced their maritime presence,
concerns have arisen over the adequacy and consistency of
training. Unlike other requirements in the Police Officers
Standards for Training (POST) system (sic), there are no
statewide standards for tactical training for state and local
maritime officers.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 5/30/13
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown,
Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway,
Cooley, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,
Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez,
Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal,
Maienschein, Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin,
Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea,
V. Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner,
Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk,
Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Holden, Mansoor, Vacancy
JG:k 6/26/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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