BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1456| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: SB 1456 Author: Nielsen (R) Amended: 5/6/14 Vote: 21 SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE : 6-0, 4/29/14 AYES: Hancock, Anderson, Knight, Liu, Mitchell, Steinberg NO VOTE RECORDED: De León SUBJECT : Firearms: Assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles: exemptions SOURCE : CALFIRE Local 2881 DIGEST : This bill authorizes the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) to issue an assault weapon or a .50 BMG rifle to a peace officer employed by CALFIRE for use in performing the officer's duties, as specified. ANALYSIS : Existing law: 1.Exempts the Department of Justice (DOJ), police departments, sheriffs' offices, marshals' offices, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Highway Patrol, district attorneys' offices, the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Parks and Recreation, or the military or naval forces of this state or of the United States, from the prohibition against sales to, purchase by, importation of, or possession of assault weapons or .50 BMG rifles. (Penal Code Section 30625) CONTINUED SB 1456 Page 2 2.Allows the peace officers employed by the agencies listed in Penal Code Section 30625 to possess or use assault weapons for law enforcement purposes, whether on or off duty. This bill: 1.Authorizes CALFIRE to purchase assault weapons or .50 BMG rifle, as specified. 2.Authorizes CALFIRE to issue law enforcement officers within their department assault weapons or .50 BMG rifles, if CALFIRE determines that an assault weapon is necessary for the officer to perform his/her duties. 3.Allows CALFIRE to use assault weapons or .50 BMG rifle only during the course and scope of their employment. Comments According to the author, "Currently, CAL FIRE officers are tasked with a wide variety of responsibilities and duties, partly due to the fact that they are sworn Peace Officers of the State of California and may be requested to assist law enforcement agencies outside of CDF. CDF officers receive the same training as all state law enforcement agencies through POST training (Peace Officer Standard Training), and since 2008, POST determined CAL FIRE is a general law enforcement agency. "SB 1456 would amend the Roberti-Roos Act of 1989 to add CAL FIRE peace officers to the existing list of peace officers that are authorized to possess certain assault weapons in the course of their duties. Currently, CAL FIRE officers are tasked with a series of dangerous duties including illegal land conversion, fire investigations, criminal and civil investigations, internal affairs investigations, assistance with fire, explosion, bomb, fireworks, and search and rescue missions. "CAL FIRE officers face daily public encounters where the potential use of force options, including deadly force, exists. However, the current long rifle available to CAL FIRE officers is a sports version which is available to the public and lacks the high power, combat quality necessary in various dangerous situations. SB 1456 would allow for CAL FIRE to equip their SB 1456 Page 3 officers with the equipment necessary for the safety of their officers." FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 5/6/14) CALFIRE Local 2881 (source) JG:nl 5/7/14 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END ****