BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 532
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          Date of Hearing:   May 12, 2009
          Counsel:                Nicole J. Hanson


                         ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
                                 Jose Solorio, Chair

                     AB 532 (Lieu) - As Amended:  April 13, 2009
           
           
           SUMMARY  :   Authorizes the issuance of a search warrant when the  
          property or things to be seized include a firearm or any other  
          deadly weapon at the scene of, or at the premises occupied or  
          under the control of:  (1) a person arrested in connection with  
          a domestic violence incident involving a threat to human life or  
          physical assault, or (2) a person who has been detained or  
          apprehended for examination of his or her mental condition.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Defines a "search warrant" as an order in writing in the name  
            of the People, signed by a magistrate, directed to a peace  
            officer, commanding him or her to search for a person or  
            persons, a thing or things, or personal property, and in the  
            case of a thing or things or personal property, bring the same  
            before the magistrate.  (Penal Code Section 1523.)

          2)States that a search warrant may be issued upon any of the  
            following grounds:

             a)   When the property was stolen or embezzled.

             b)   When the property or things were used as the means of  
               committing a felony.

             c)   When the property or things are in the possession of any  
               person with the intent to use them as a means of committing  
               a public offense, or in the possession of another to whom  
               he or she may have delivered them for the purpose of  
               concealing them or preventing them from being discovered.

             d)   When the property or things to be seized consist of any  
               item or constitute any evidence that tends to show a felony  
               has been committed, or tends to show that a particular  
               person has committed a felony.








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             e)   When the property or things to be seized consist of  
               evidence that tends to show that sexual exploitation of a  
               child, or possession of matter depicting sexual conduct of  
               a person under the age of 18 years, has occurred or is  
               occurring.

             f)   When there is a warrant to arrest a person.

             g)   When a provider of electronic communication service or  
               remote computing service has records or evidence, showing  
               that property was stolen or embezzled constituting a  
               misdemeanor, or that property or things are in the  
               possession of any person with the intent to use them as a  
               means of committing a misdemeanor public offense, or in the  
               possession of another to whom he or she may have delivered  
               them for the purpose of concealing them or preventing their  
               discovery.  [Penal Code Section 1524(a).]

          3)Affirms that whenever a person, who has been detained or  
            apprehended for examination of his or her mental condition or  
            who is a person that is a danger to themselves or others as a  
            result of a mental illness or disorder, is found to own, have  
            in his or her possession or under his or her control, any  
            firearm whatsoever, or any other deadly weapon, the firearm or  
            other deadly weapon shall be confiscated by any law  
            enforcement agency or peace officer, who shall retain custody  
            of the firearm or other deadly weapon.  [Welfare and  
            Institutions Code (WIC) Section 8102(a).]

          4)Allows peace officers at the scene of a domestic violence  
            incident involving a threat to human life or a physical  
            assault, to take temporary custody of any firearm or other  
            deadly weapon in plain sight or discovered pursuant to a  
            consensual or other lawful search as necessary for the  
            protection of the peace officer or other persons present.   
            Upon taking custody of a firearm or other deadly weapon, the  
            officer shall give the owner or person who possessed the  
            firearm a receipt.  The receipt shall describe the firearm or  
            other deadly weapon and list any identification or serial  
            number on the firearm.  The receipt shall indicate where the  
            firearm or other deadly weapon can be recovered, the time  
            limit for recovery as required by this section, and the date  
            after which the owner or possessor can recover the firearm or  
            other deadly weapon.  No firearm or other deadly weapon shall  








                                                                  AB 532
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            be held less than 48 hours. If a firearm or other deadly  
            weapon is not retained for use as evidence related to criminal  
            charges brought as a result of the domestic violence incident  
            or is not retained because it was illegally possessed, the  
            firearm or other deadly weapon shall be made available to the  
            owner or person who was in lawful possession 48 hours after  
            the seizure or as soon thereafter as possible, but no later  
            than five business days.  [Penal Code Section 12028.5(b).]

          5)Specifies that in domestic violence cases in which a law  
            enforcement agency has reasonable cause to believe that the  
            return of a firearm or other deadly weapon would be likely to  
            result in endangering the victim or the person reporting the  
            assault or threat, the agency shall advise the owner of the  
            firearm or other deadly weapon, and within 60 days of the date  
            of seizure, initiate a petition in superior court to determine  
            if the firearm or other deadly weapon should be returned.   
            [Penal Code Section 12028.5(f).]

             a)   Requires the law enforcement agency to inform the owner  
               or person who had lawful possession of the firearm or other  
               deadly weapon, at that person's last known address by  
               registered mail, return receipt requested, that he or she  
               has 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice to  
               respond to the court clerk to confirm his or her desire for  
               a hearing, and that the failure to respond shall result in  
               a default order forfeiting the confiscated firearm or other  
               deadly weapon.  [Penal Code Section 12028.5(g).]

             b)   If the person requests a hearing, the court clerk shall  
               set a hearing no later than 30 days from receipt of that  
               request.  The court clerk shall notify the person, the law  
               enforcement agency involved, and the district attorney of  
               the date, time, and place of the hearing. Unless it is  
               shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the return of  
               the firearm or other deadly weapon would result in  
               endangering the victim or the person reporting the assault  
               or threat, the court shall order the return of the firearm  
               or other deadly weapon and shall award reasonable  
               attorney's fees to the prevailing party.  [Penal Code  
               Section 12028.5(h).]

             c)   If the person does not request a hearing or does not  
               otherwise respond within 30 days of the receipt of the  
               notice, the law enforcement agency may file a petition for  








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               an order of default and may dispose of the firearm or other  
               deadly weapon.  [Penal Code Section 12028.5(i).]

             d)   If, at the hearing, the court does not order the return  
               of the firearm or other deadly weapon to the owner or  
               person who had lawful possession, that person may petition  
               the court for a second hearing within 12 months from the  
               date of the initial hearing.  If there is a petition for a  
               second hearing, unless it is shown by clear and convincing  
               evidence that the return of the firearm or other deadly  
               weapon would result in endangering the victim or the person  
               reporting the assault or threat, the court shall order the  
               return of the firearm or other deadly weapon and shall  
               award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party.   
               If the owner or person who had lawful possession does not  
               petition the court within this 12-month period for a second  
               hearing or is unsuccessful at the second hearing in gaining  
               return of the firearm or other deadly weapon, the firearm  
               or other deadly weapon may be disposed of.  [Penal Code  
               Section 12028.5(j).]

          6)Mandates that a search warrant shall be executed and returned  
            within 10 days after date of issuance.  A warrant executed  
            within the 10-day period shall be deemed to have been timely  
            executed and no further showing of timeliness need be made.   
            After the expiration of 10 days, the warrant, unless executed,  
            is void.  [Penal Code Section 1534(a).]

          7)Provides that a defendant may move for the return of property  
            or to suppress as evidence any tangible or intangible thing  
            obtained as a result of a search or seizure on either of the  
            following grounds:

             a)   The search or seizure without a warrant was  
               unreasonable.

             b)   The search or seizure with a warrant was unreasonable  
               because any of the following apply:

               i)     The warrant is insufficient on its face.

               ii)    The property or evidence obtained is not that  
                 described in the warrant.

               iii)   There was not probable cause for the issuance of the  








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                 warrant.

               iv)    The method of execution of the warrant violated  
                 federal or state constitutional standards.

          8)There was any other violation of federal or state  
            constitutional standards.  [Penal Code Section 1538.5(a)(1).]

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   None

           COMMENTS  :   

           1)Author's Statement  :  According to the author, "AB 532 will  
            help protect victims of domestic violence and individuals who  
            present a danger to themselves and others because of mental  
            health issues by strengthening California law which allows law  
            enforcement officials to temporarily seize firearms and other  
            dangerous weapons.  California law requires law enforcement  
            officers at the scene of a domestic violence incident or  
            whenever an individual is apprehended because they have a  
            mental condition that makes them a danger to themselves or  
            others to, take temporary custody of any firearm or other  
            deadly weapon.  However, California law does not provide law  
            enforcement officials with any constitutionally permissible  
            way to seize the firearms or other deadly weapons from these  
            individuals in the absence of some exigent circumstance as  
            required by California law.  AB 532 solves this problem by  
            authorizing a court to issue a search warrant to seize any  
            firearm or other deadly weapon authorized by Penal Code  
            Section 12028.5 or WIC Section 8102."

           2)Background  :  According to information provided by the author,  
            "California Penal Code Section 12028.5 requires a law  
            enforcement officer at the scene of a domestic violence  
            incident to 'take temporary custody of any firearm or other  
            deadly weapon' in order to protect the victim of the abuse or  
            other persons present at the scene.

          "California WIC Section 8102 requires that whenever a law  
            enforcement officer detains or apprehends a person because  
            they have a mental condition that makes them a danger to  
            themselves or others, the officer shall confiscate any firearm  
            or other deadly weapon in the person's possession or control.

          "California Penal Code Section 1524 lists the circumstances  








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            under which a court can issue a search warrant under  
            California law.

          "California's Third District Court of Appeal ruled recently that  
            a warrantless search of the residence of an individual taken  
            into custody because the individual suffered from a mental  
            condition that made him a danger to himself or others (WIC  
            Section 5150) in order to seize firearms and other deadly  
            weapons violated the 4th Amendment despite the fact the search  
            was conducted for the primary purpose of seizing deadly  
            weapons as mandated by WIC Section 8102.  [People v. Sweig  
            (2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 1145.]

          "The Court of Appeal in Sweig stated, 'The flaw in the statutes  
            is that the legislative scheme does not provide a  
            constitutionally permissible way for law enforcement to  
            confiscate a firearm or other deadly weapon when it is in the  
            residence of the mentally disordered person who is detained  
            outside the residence and there is no exigent circumstance or  
            other basis for a warrantless entry into the residence.   
            Although section 8102 requires confiscation of the firearm or  
            deadly weapon, the situation is not included as a ground for  
            the issuance of a search warrant (Pen. Code, Section 1524),  
            and section 8102 does not contain a mechanism to seize the  
            firearm or other deadly weapon in that circumstance.'

          "The United States Supreme Court in Georgia v. Randolph ruled  
            that a joint occupant of a residence who is present and  
            expressly refuses consent to a law enforcement search of a  
            residence can cancel another joint occupant of that residence.

          "Because of the holdings in Sweig and Randolph law enforcement  
            officers have no constitutionally permissible way to seize  
            firearms or other deadly weapons as required by Penal Code  
            Section 12028.5 or WIC Section 8102 if they make the arrest or  
            detention outside of a residence and no exigent circumstance  
            exists allowing them access to the inside of the residence.

          "The inability of law enforcement to remove firearms and other  
            deadly weapons from the scene of a domestic violence incident  
            or from individuals who pose an immediate danger to themselves  
            or others places victims of domestic violence or those living  
            with or near an individual suffering from a serious mental  
            health condition at unnecessary risk.









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          "AB 532 solves this problem by authorizing a court to issue a  
            search warrant pursuant to Penal Code Section 1524 to seize  
            any firearm or other deadly weapon authorized by Penal Code  
            Section 12028.5 or WIC Section 8102."

           3)Seizure of Firearms in Domestic Violence Incidences under  
            Current Law  :  Firearms and domestic violence create a lethal  
            combination - one that heightens the risks for victims.  
            Domestic violence incidents that involve a firearm are 12  
            times more likely to result in death than those involving any  
            other type of weapon.  [Saltzman, Mercy, O'Carroll, Rosenberg  
            & Rhodes, Weapon Involvement and Injury Outcomes in Family and  
            Intimate Assaults (1992), 267 JAMA 3043, 3043.]  This  
            consequence likely because firearms are more lethal than other  
            weapons, and many batterers who kill "with a firearm would be  
            unable or unwilling to exert the greater physical or  
            psychological effort required to kill with another, typically  
            available weapon."  (Id. at 3045.)  Simply having a firearm in  
            a home increases the risk of homicide by a family member or  
            intimate acquaintance.  [Kellermann, Rivara, Rushforth,  
            Banton, Reay, Francisco, Locci, Prodzinski, Hacman & Somes,  
            Gun Ownership as a Risk Factor for Homicide in the Home (1993)  
            329 N. Eng. J. Med. 1084, 1087.]  In addition, if a history of  
            domestic violence incidents in that home exists, the risk of  
            firearm-related homicide becomes even greater.  (Id. at 1087.)  
             The availability of guns in a home also increases the risk of  
            suicide - one in every ten abused women tries to kill herself.  
            [Nocolais, State and Federal Statutes Affecting Domestic  
            Violence Cases Recognize Dangers of Firearms (Nov. 1999) N.Y.  
            St. B.J., p. 39.]

          Legislators at the federal, state and local levels are working  
            to remove firearms from the hands of abusers in order to lower  
            the likelihood of injury and death caused by domestic  
            violence.  On October 6, 1999, California Governor Gray Davis  
            signed into law SB 218 (Solis), Chapter 662, Statutes of 1999,  
            the 1999 Domestic Violence Omnibus Bill.  Under SB 218, Penal  
            Code Section 12028.5 was created.  Under that section, law  
            enforcement officers are required take temporary custody of  
            any firearms or deadly weapons in plain view or discovered in  
            a consensual search at the scene of a domestic violence  
            incident.  Upon seizure of the weapon or firearm, the officer  
            must give the owner a receipt that describes the weapon or  
            firearm, lists any identification or serial number, and  
            indicates where and when the firearm can be recovered.  [Penal  








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            Code Section 12028.5(3)(b).]  The law requires that all  
            weapons or firearms be held for at least 48 hours, but no more  
            than business five days.  (Ibid.)  If the law enforcement  
            officer has reason to believe that returning the weapon or  
            firearm would endanger the victim or the person reporting the  
            incident, however, the officer has 60 days during which to  
            file a petition in superior court.  [Id. at subd. (f).]  This  
            petition will help determine whether or not the weapon or  
            firearm should be returned.  (Ibid.)  With a showing of good  
            cause, this 30-day time limit may be extended an additional 30  
            days.  (Ibid.)

          The law enforcement agency must then inform the person who  
            originally possessed the weapon that he or she has 30 days to  
            decide whether or not to attend a hearing on this matter.   
            [Id. at subd. (g).]  Failure to respond to this notice will  
            result in a default order that forfeits the seized firearm.   
            (Ibid.)  If the person desires a hearing, however, the date  
            will be calendared within 30 days of the court's receipt of  
            the request for a hearing.  [Id. at subd. (h).]  In order to  
            retain custody of the weapon in the interim, the state must  
            show the preponderance of the evidence that returning the gun  
            will endanger the victim or the person reporting the threat.   
            (Ibid.)

          If the court decides not to return the firearm to the owner or  
            person in possession, he or she may petition the court for a  
            second hearing anytime during the year following the initial  
            one.  [Id. at subd. (j).]  If he or she does not request the  
            second hearing or is unsuccessful in regaining the weapon at  
            the second hearing, the gun may be disposed of.  (Ibid.)   
            Thus, at the minimum, a seized firearm will be in the hands of  
            law enforcement for two days.  Once law enforcement files a  
            petition, as many as 60 days could elapse until the hearing -  
            two months during which the abuser is denied access to his or  
            her weapons.
           
          4)Mental Disorder and Firearm Seizure under Current Law  :  A  
            person who is gravely disabled or a danger to others because  
            of a mental disorder may be taken into custody and placed in a  
            mental health facility "for 72-hour treatment and evaluation."  
             (WIC Section 5150.)  When detained, if such a person "is  
            found to own, have in his or her possession or under his or  
            her control, any firearm whatsoever, or any other deadly  
            weapon," the weapon "shall be confiscated by any law  








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            enforcement agency or peace officer, who shall retain custody  
            of the firearm or other deadly weapon."  [WIC Code Section  
            8102(a).]  When the person is released from custody, "the  
            confiscating law enforcement agency shall have 30 days to  
            initiate a petition in the superior court for a hearing to  
            determine whether the return of a firearm or other deadly  
            weapon would be likely to result in endangering the person or  
            others . . . ."  [WIC Section 8102(c).]

          The constitutionality of WIC Section 8102 was upheld in Rupf v.  
            Yan (Ct. App. 2000) 85 Cal. App. 4th 411.  In Rupf, the court  
            found that it has long been established in California that  
            regulation of firearms is a proper police function.  [Galvan  
            v. Superior Court (1969) 70 Cal. 2d 851, 866; People v. Seale  
            (1969) 274 Cal. App. 2d 107, 114; People v. Evans (1974) 40  
            Cal. App. 3d 582, 586-587.]  "[L]egislative restrictions on  
            the use of firearms are neither based upon constitutionally  
            suspect criteria, nor do they trench upon any constitutionally  
            protected liberties."  [Lewis v. United States (1980) 445 U.S.  
            55, 65-66, fn. 8.]  The Ninth Circuit is among those federal  
            circuits considering the issue that have held "that the Second  
            Amendment is a right held by the states, and does not protect  
            the possession of a weapon by a private citizen."  [Hickman v.  
            Block (9th Cir. 1996) 81 F.3d 98, 101; accord, U.S. v. Hancock  
            (9th Cir. 2000) 231 F.3d 557, 565; San Diego County Gun Rights  
            v. Reno (9th Cir. 1996) 98 F.3d 1121, 1124; Gillespie v. City  
            of Indianapolis (7th Cir. 1999) 185 F.3d 693, 709; Love v.  
            Pepersack (4th Cir. 1995) 47 F.3d 120, 124; United States v.  
            Warin (6th Cir. 1976) 530 F.2d 103, 106-107; Cases v. U.S.  
            (1st Cir. 1942) 131 F.2d 916, 920-923.]  Thus, the Legislature  
            can deny persons being detained for observation under  
            circumstances where it appeared they were mentally unstable  
            and presented a danger to themselves or to others access to  
            firearms they owned or possessed and that in such emergency  
            circumstances, the police should be allowed to confiscate such  
            firearms.
           
          5)Fourth Amendment Analysis of the Current Laws Relating to  
            Firearm Seizures  :  The Fourth Amendment protects "the right of  
            the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and  
            effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.  Shall  
            not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon  
            probable cause, support by Oath or affirmation, and  
            particularly describing the place to be searched, and persons  
            or things to be seized"  (U.S. Const., 4th Amend.)  In a long  








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            line of cases, the Supreme Court has stressed that "searches  
            conducted outside the judicial process, without prior approval  
            by judge or magistrate, are per se unreasonable under the  
               Fourth Amendment -- subject only to a few specifically  
            established and well delineated exceptions."  [Katz v. United  
            States (1967) 389 U.S. 347, 357.]  Because the physical entry  
            of the home is the chief evil against which the wording of the  
            Fourth Amendment is directed, it is a basic principle of  
            Fourth Amendment law that searches and seizures inside a home  
            without a warrant are presumptively unreasonable.  The  
            presumption is rebutted, when an exception to the warrant  
            requirement - such as plain view, consent, or exigent  
            circumstances:
           
             a)   Domestic Violence Firearm Seizure Pitfalls  :  Penal Code  
               Section 12028.5 states that an officer "shall take  
               temporary custody of a firearm or other deadly weapon in  
               plain sight or discovered pursuant to a consensual or other  
               lawful search as necessary for the protection of the peace  
               officer or other persons present."  [Penal Code Section  
               12028.5(b).]

             In this context, "plain view" is defined as "open and visible  
               to the naked eye."  [20 Cal. Jur. 2515 (3d ed. 1985) at p.  
               506 ("[S]eizure of property in plain view involves no  
               invasion of privacy and is presumptively reasonable,  
               assuming that there is probable cause to associate the  
               property with criminal activity").]  A search is deemed  
               "consensual" if the consent is voluntary, if the search  
               conforms to the consent given, and if the person consenting  
               had the authority to do so.  [Whitebread & Slobogin,  
               Criminal Procedure:  An Analysis of Cases and Concepts 5.05  
               (4th ed. 2000) at pp. 276-77).]  When these requirements  
               are met, the consent functions as a waiver of Fourth  
               Amendment protections.  (Ibid.)  Thus, valid consent allows  
               an officer to search an area without probable cause or a  
               warrant.  (Ibid.)  The ability to perform this type of  
               search provides law enforcement with an essential tool for  
               removing firearms from explosive situations.  William  
               Flannery, an officer in the Gun Unit at the Los Angeles  
               Police Department (LAPD), stated that while performing  
               consensual searches at the site of domestic violence  
               incidents, he has found guns hidden in toilet tanks, fish  
               tanks, and freezers.  [Interview with William Flannery,  
               Officer, LAPD Gun Unit, Detective Headquarters Division, in  








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               Los Angeles, Cal. (Feb. 8, 2001).]  Clearly, these weapons  
               would not have been removed if officers had only the "plain  
               view" option at their disposal.

             The challenging aspect of a consensual search is determining  
               who has the authority to consent.  An individual's  
               authority to permit a search "does not rest upon the law of  
               property . . . but rests rather on mutual use of the  
               property by persons generally having joint access or  
               control for most purposes."  [United States v. Matlock  
               (1974) 415 U.S. 164, 171 n.7.]  In other words, if law  
               enforcement serves a domestic violence protective order,  
               the protected person cannot give permission for law  
               enforcement to seize firearms or other dangerous weapons in  
               a residence if the individual being served is a joint  
               occupant and does not consent.  This bill alleviates this  
               gap by allowing for the issuance of a search warrant, thus  
               obviating the need for plain view or consent altogether. 

             Although, the Fourth Amendment recognizes a valid warrantless  
               entry and search of premises when police obtain the  
               voluntary consent of an occupant who shares, or is  
               reasonably believed to share, authority over the area in  
               common with a co-occupant who later objects to the use of  
               evidence so obtained."  [Georgia v. Randolph (2006) 547  
               U.S. 103, 106 (citing Illinois v. Rodriguez (1990) 497 U.S.  
               177).]  However, the police have "no recognized authority  
               in law or social practice" to enter the residence over the  
               objection of a "present and objecting co-tenant."  (Id. at  
               114.)  According to the Supreme Court, a "disputed  
               invitation, without more, gives a police officer no better  
               claim to reasonableness in entering than the officer would  
               have in the absence of any consent at all."  (Ibid.)

             Thus, if law enforcement services an individual with a  
               protective order which disallows possession of firearms or  
               dangerous weapons, the protected person cannot give  
               permission for law enforcement to seize the weapons within  
               a residence over the protests of the person being served. 

             This bill obviates the need for a warrantless search  
               exception to acquire deadly weapons at the premises  
               occupied or under the control of a person arrested in  
               connection with a domestic violence incident.  It seems  
               counterintuitive to the spirit of Penal Code Section  








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               12028.5 to require acquisition of deadly weapons, yet rely  
               upon the narrow exceptions to a warrantless search to  
               achieve such goals.  This bill explicitly allows law  
               enforcement to obtain a warrant, and search a residence  
               beyond "plain view" without the consent of the batterer,  
               thus protecting the victim further danger. 

              b)   Mental Disorder Firearm Seizure Pitfalls  :  The flaw in  
               the statutes relating to firearm seizure of a mentally  
               unstable person is that the legislative scheme does not  
               provide a constitutionally permissible way for law  
               enforcement to confiscate a firearm or other deadly weapon  
               when it is in the residence of the mentally disordered  
               person who is detained outside the residence.  None of the  
               exceptions to a warrantless search apply in this  
               circumstance. 

             "Exigent circumstances" exist, and when there is a  
               requirement of swift action, leaving no time to obtain a  
               warrant before entering a residence.  [People v. Frye  
               (1998) 18 Cal.4th 894, 989.]  If a person is detained  
               outside of his or her residence, there is no exigent  
               circumstance for which to enter the dwelling.  The person,  
               who is the threat, has been quelled.  Thus, law enforcement  
               may not enter and the seizure of any weapons would be  
               invalid. 

             Additionally, the "community caretaking function" exception  
               does not obviate the need for a warrant.  The community  
               caretaking exception recognizes law enforcement officers  
               perform many community functions apart from investigating  
               crime and officers are "expected to aid those in distress,  
               combat actual hazards, prevent potential hazards from  
               materializing, and provide an infinite variety of services  
               to preserve and protect community safety."  [U.S. v.  
               Rodriguez-Morales (1st Cir. 1991) 929 F.2d 780, 784-785.]   
               For example, the community caretaking function encompasses  
               law enforcement's authority to remove vehicles that impede  
               traffic or threaten public safety and to inventory the  
               contents of impounded vehicles.  [See South Dakota v.  
               Opperman (1976) 428 U.S. 364, 368-372.]  The search warrant  
               requirement is also obviated under the emergency aid  
               doctrine, a subcategory of the community caretaking  
               doctrine that applies where there is a "need to assist  
               persons who are seriously injured or threatened with such  








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               injury."  [Brigham City v. Stuart (2006) 547 U.S. 398, 403;  
               see U.S. v. Snipe (9th Cir. 2008) 515 F.3d 947, 951-952;  
               U.S. v. Stafford (9th Cir. 2005) 416 F.3d 1068, 1073.]

             Again, when the person who poses a danger to himself,  
               herself, or others has already been detained, it is  
               unlikely that the hazard, threat or potential thereof still  
               exists. Although WIC Section 8102 requires confiscation of  
               the firearm or deadly weapon, the situation is not included  
               as a ground for the issuance of a search warrant (Penal  
               Code Section 1524), and WIC Section 8102 does not contain a  
               mechanism to seize the firearm or other deadly weapon in  
               that circumstance.  This bill creates that mechanism by  
               allowing the issuance of a warrant when the property or  
               things to be seized include a firearm or any other deadly  
               weapon that is owned by, or in the possession of a person  
               who poses a danger to himself or others.  
              
           6)Argument in Support  :  According to the  California Partnership  
            to End Domestic Violence , "AB 532 is crucial legislation that  
            protects domestic violence victims and others living with  
            mentally unstable individuals by ensuring that law enforcement  
            have the ability to remove potentially harmful weapons from  
            the home.  In 2007 alone, 119 murders were committed as a  
            result of intimate partner violence in California and law  
            enforcement received 174,649 domestic violence calls - 69,422  
            calls involved weapons, including firearms.  Current law does  
            not provide a constitutional way for law enforcement to  
            confiscate firearms and other weapons while at the scene of a  
            domestic violence or mental health incident and this leaves  
            victims vulnerable."  

          7)Related Legislation  :  AB 789 (DeLeon) authorizes the issuance  
            of a search warrant when the property or things to be seized  
            include a firearm owned by, in the possession of, or in the  
            custody or control of a person who is subject to the  
            prohibitions regarding firearms pursuant to protective orders  
            issued to prevent the molesting, attacking, striking,  
            stalking, threatening, sexually assaulting, battering,  
            harassing, telephoning, destroying personal property;  
            contacting, either directly or indirectly, by mail or  
            otherwise; coming within a specified distance of, or  
            disturbing the peace of, the other party; and, in the  
            discretion of the court, on a showing of good cause, of other  
            named family or household members.  AB 789 is scheduled to be  








                                                                  AB 532
                                                                  Page 14

            heard by this Committee today.  

          8)Prior Legislation  : 
           
              a)   SB 585 (Kehoe), Chapter 467, Statutes of 2006, requires  
               a person ordered to relinquish a gun, pursuant to terms of  
               a protective order, to surrender the weapon immediately  
               upon request of any law enforcement officer, or within 24  
               hours, if no request is made by an officer.  Failure to  
               file a receipt in a timely manner is a violation of the  
               protective order; a misdemeanor pursuant to existing law.  
              
              b)   AB 1288 (Chu), Chapter 702, Statutes of 2005, provides  
               that if a court orders a protective order in a domestic  
               violence case, the order shall prohibit the defendant from  
               purchasing firearms and require the defendant to relinquish  
               any firearms he or she possesses.  

              c)   SB 1391 (Romero), Chapter 250, Statutes of 2004,  
               requires a person subject to a domestic violence protective  
               order to relinquish any firearm within 24 hours of the  
               service of the order.
              
          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          California Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
          California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
          California State Sheriffs' Association
          Legal Community Against Violence
          Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
          Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
          Peace Officer's Research Association of California

           Opposition 
           
          None

           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Nicole J. Hanson / PUB. S. / (916)  
          319-3744