Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman Friday urged state lawmakers to approve a package of six bipartisan bills backed by his office that target repeat drunk drivers, labor traffickers, illegal dumpers, animal abusers and misconduct by peace officers.
The measures have all unanimously passed at least one legislative chamber and are now advancing through the California Legislature, according to Hochman’s office.
“My office is sponsoring significant reforms to strengthen California’s criminal laws and ensure offenders are appropriately punished while deterring future crimes,” Hochman said in a statement. “We are gratified that the legislation we sponsored has unanimously passed its house of origin in the California Legislature, reflecting the urgent need for criminal justice reform to enhance accountability, protect communities and save lives.”
Among the measures is Senate Bill 907, authored by state Sen. Bob Archuleta, D-Los Angeles, which would increase penalties for repeat DUI offenders and incorporate “Braun’s Law,” named for Loyola High School student Braun Levi, who was killed by an alleged repeat drunk driver in Manhattan Beach last year. The bill would require courts to issue a Watson warning to certain DUI offenders, advising them they could face second-degree murder charges if they drive intoxicated again and cause a fatal crash.
Hochman called California’s DUI laws “among the weakest in the nation” and said repeat offenders continue to cause devastating crashes and loss of life.
Another measure, Assembly Bill 1583 by Assemblymember Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa, would make it easier to prosecute labor trafficking and wage theft cases that cross county lines by expanding jurisdiction for prosecutors. Hochman said employers who engage in labor trafficking often exploit immigrant workers and withhold wages while threatening deportation.
Assembly Bill 2310, authored by Assemblymembers Juan Carrillo, D-Palmdale, and Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, would strengthen penalties for illegal dumping and expand enforcement authority against corporate polluters. Hochman said the legislation is particularly important following recent wildfires because some companies have illegally dumped toxic fire debris in vulnerable communities.
The district attorney’s office is also backing Assembly Bill 2344, known as the Justice for Seized Animals Act, which would allow abused and neglected animals seized in cruelty cases to be adopted before criminal proceedings are completed in some circumstances. Prosecutors could also seek court orders barring defendants granted mental health diversion from possessing animals.
A fifth measure, Senate Bill 1211 by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, would expand access to records used by prosecutors reviewing claims of wrongful conviction. Hochman said the District Attorney’s Office’s Justice Conviction Review Unit has exonerated 16 wrongfully convicted individuals since its creation in 2015 and is currently reviewing 76 cases.
The final bill, Assembly Bill 2337 by Assemblymember Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, would require the revocation of peace officer certification for officers who commit theft under color of authority. Hochman called such conduct “a significant betrayal of the public’s trust.”
In addition to sponsoring the six measures, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said it supports dozens of other public safety bills pending in Sacramento.