September 28, 2010 | 12:03 PM | By

Guv’s signapalooza: 11 public safety laws signed or tossed

FILED UNDER: Corrections, Courts, Police, Politics, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Domestic Violence, Family Court, Juvenile Justice, Legislature, Prison

Governor Schwarzenegger, running up against an imminent deadline where unsigned bills on his desk would automatically become law, went on a signing and vetoing bender yesterday. Eleven (substantive) bills had to do with public safety. Among them? An old bill that put research money into finding the “causes and cures of homosexuality,” a bill that would end the shackling of pregnant inmates while they give birth, and a public awareness campaign that teaches people when to (not) call 911. Here’s a roundup of what made law and what was denied:

The Yays–the Governor signed six cops& courts related bills:

  1. AB 302 (Jim Beall-Dem, San Jose) speeds up the process for alerting the CA Department of Justice that someone can’t purchase a firearm under a law limiting certain mental health patients’ access to guns.
  2. AB 674 (Mary Salas-Dem, Chula Vista) expands the rights of veterans accused of crimes to link their alleged crimes to mental health issues stemming from military service.
  3. AB 939 (Committee on the Judiciary) attempts to streamline family law proceedings, and arguably gives more power to judges.
  4. AB 1738 (Van Tran, Rep-Orange County) makes domestic violence reports available to more people who typically ask for them.
  5. AB 2199 (Bonnie Lowenthal, Dem-Long Beach) amends an old law that designated resources for studying “sexual deviation” be put into among other things, “the causes and cures of homosexuality.” Research will now focus on causes of child molestation and identifying molesters.
  6. AB 2210 (Felipe Fuentes, Dem-Sylmar) makes it so that in certain situations, police officers can eavesdrop on and record conversations without permission from a judge.

The Nays–and he also rejected five:

  1. AB 114 (Wilmer Amina Carter, Dem-Rialto) would have authorized counties to adopt restorative justice models in juvenile cases. The Governor says that option already exists.
  2. AB 424 (Norma Torres, Dem-Ontario) would have created a public information campaign for educating the public when it is and is not appropriate to call 911. The Gov says too expensive.
  3. AB 640 (Alyson Huber, Dem-El Dorado Hills) would have increased mandatory jail sentences for meth dealers. Gov says judges should retain their discretion.
  4. AB 1900 (Nancy Skinner, Dem-Berkeley) would have made it harder to shackle pregnant inmates while they’re in labor. Gov says there are technical issues with the bill.
  5. AB 2410 (Jean Fuller, Rep-Bakersfield) would have made it easier to take a child into state custody if they’re found or live at a narcotics crime scene that involves hallucinogens, meth, heroine, cocaine, or PCP. Gov says agencies have power to respond to such as scene already.