BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 303
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 3, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                    SB 303 (Knight) - As Amended:  March 21, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Public  
          SafetyVote:  7-0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill provides that if the agency from which a peace officer  
          has retired honorably is no longer providing law enforcement  
          services, the successor agency shall issue an identification  
          certificate to that retired officer if (a) the successor agency  
          has the retired officer's personnel records or can otherwise  
          verify the retired officer's honorably-retired status, and (b)  
          the retired officer meets the requirements of the successor  
          agency for a retirement identification card and a concealed  
          weapon endorsement.
           
          FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible state and local cost. 

          The mandate is not reimbursable as a local agency has the  
          authority to charge a service fee to cover its costs.

           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  . Current law provides that a retired peace officer  
          shall be issued an identification certificate by the law  
          enforcement agency from which the officer has retired, with an  
          endorsement stating the issuing agency approves the officer's  
          carrying of a loaded gun. After the initial certification,  
          retired peace officers are required to petition the issuing  
          agency to renew the privilege to carry a loaded gun. Current  
          law, however, is silent as to any procedure if the employing  
          agency ceases to exist.

          This bill establishes the successor agency as the arbiter of  








                                                                  SB 303
                                                                  Page  2

          identification certificates and concealed weapons endorsements. 

          According to the author, "This measure ensures that peace  
          officers who honorably retired from an agency that no longer  
          exists will receive the same privileges that are available to  
          all other retired officers in California.  Many small towns are  
          saving costs by disbanding their own police departments and  
          contracting out for public safety services."


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081