BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1511
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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
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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