BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1511 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 9, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 1511 (Gaines) - As Amended: March 17, 2014 Policy Committee: Public SafetyVote: 7-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) and local criminal justice agencies to furnish state and local summary criminal history information (rap sheets) to an animal control officer upon a showing of a compelling need. FISCAL EFFECT 1)Minor absorbable costs to DOJ, as current law authorizes DOJ to charge a fee to cover related costs. 2)Minor, non state-reimbursable, local costs, as current law authorizes local entities to charge a fee to cover related costs. COMMENTS 1)Rationale . The author contends adding animal control officers to the list of entities authorized to obtain criminal history information provides a necessary protection to a class of officers who perform dangerous duties. 2)Animal Control Officers are not Humane Officers . As noted in the Assembly Public Safety analysis, some proponents of this bill contend that because current law authorizes humane officers access to state and local summary criminal history information, animal control officers should have the same access. The statutory prerequisites to serve as a humane officer, however, differ significantly from that of animal control officers. AB 1511 Page 2 While animal control officers' duties are not prescribed by state law, they are generally tasked with animal control and compliance. Humane officers, employed by a humane society or a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, are statutorily tasked with preventing animal cruelty, including the use of reasonable force. Humane officers are subject to a criminal background check, must furnish fingerprints to DOJ and the FBI, and must demonstrate good moral character, as determined by a background check. Humane officers also must be removed from their position for any one of a list of specified condition, such as conviction of a felony or a finding the person is mentally incompetent, or addicted to narcotics. There are no such prerequisites for animal control officers. 3)Current Law . a) Allows DOJ and local law enforcement to furnish state summary criminal history information to specified entities and, when specifically authorized, federal-level criminal history information, upon a showing of a compelling need, as specified. b) Allows DOJ and local law enforcement to charge a fee to recoup costs. 4)Related legislation , SB 1278 (Leno), pending in Assembly Public Safety, requires animal control officers to complete specified law enforcement-related training and continuing education. Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081