June 12, 2021 - SACRAMENTO, CA — On Thursday, legislation authored by Senator Sydney K. Kamlager (D - Los Angeles) aimed at reducing barriers to police accountability, passed off the Senate Floor in a vote of 30 - 7. The legislation now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature.

AB 127: Arrest Warrants: Declaration of Probable Cause would permit an employee of a public prosecutor’s office to present a probable cause determination to a judge in seeking an arrest warrant in cases when the subject is a peace officer. 

“I’m immensely grateful and excited to see AB 127 pass out of the Legislature this morning. We cannot allow police officers who’ve continually victimized Californians to evade accountability by hiding behind procedural barriers or capitalizing off their fellow officers’ unwillingness to speak out. With the Senate passing AB 127 today, this bill is headed to the Governor’s desk and we’re a step closer to forging a path of police accountability in this state,” said Senator Kamlager.

“I thank my Legislative colleagues as well as San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin for recognizing the bureaucratic hurdles that have been used to shield law enforcement, and urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 127 into law.”

The aim of AB 127 is to reduce procedural barriers to police accountability and eliminate one of the barriers for district attorneys in initiating prosecutions against members of law enforcement. AB 127 will clarify that a declaration of probable cause for an arrest warrant need not be provided only by a peace officer. The bill is sponsored by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. 

“I am thrilled that the Senate has passed AB 127 to reduce barriers to holding police accountable by allowing prosecutors to seek an arrest warrant even when other law enforcement officers are unwilling to assist in the prosecution of a fellow officer,” said San Francisco District Attorney Boudin, who sponsored AB 127 and testified in support of the bill. 

“As the horrific murder of George Floyd reminds us, now, more than ever, we must find ways to ensure accountability for law enforcement officers who break the trust we place in them.  As a proud sponsor of AB 127, I thank Senator Kamlager for her authorship and urge GovernorNewsom to sign this important bill into law.”

AB 127, the first bill of Senator Kamlager’s legislative package to pass out of the Legislature, now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature. 

Senate District 30 consists of Culver City, Ladera Heights, Westmont, and the Crenshaw, Downtown, and Florence neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Source: Senator Sydney K. Kamlage