BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 669
Author: Hertzberg (D)
Amended: 6/20/01 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE : 5-0, 6/26/01
AYES: McPherson, Burton, Margett, Polanco, Vasconcellos
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 4/19/01 (Passed on Consent) - See
last page for vote
SUBJECT : Firearms: ballistics identification systems
study
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill extends, from June 1, 2001, to January
31, 2002, the date by which the Attorney General is to
report on a study of firearms ballistics identification
systems, as specified in existing law.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Requires the Attorney General to conduct a study to
evaluate ballistics identification systems to determine
the feasibility and potential benefits to law enforcement
of utilizing a statewide ballistics identification system
capable of maintaining a database of ballistic images and
information from test fired and sold firearms.
2.Requires the Attorney General to submit a report to the
CONTINUED
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Legislature with the results of the study not later than
June 1, 2001; and provides that in the event the report
includes a determination that a ballistics identification
system and database is feasible and benefits law
enforcement, the report shall also recommend a strategy
for implementation.
3.Defines "ballistics identification systems" to include,
but not be limited to, any automated image analysis
system that is capable of storing firearm ballistic
markings and tracing those markings to the firearm that
produced them.
This bill extends the date by which that report is due from
June 1, 2001, to January 31, 2002.
Prior legislation
AB 1717 (Hertzberg, Chapter 271, Statutes of 2000, passed
the Senate 28-6 (NOES: Haynes, Johannessen, Knight,
Leslie, Monteith, Mountjoy).
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/16/01)
Department of Justice
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
last year, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed
AB 1717 (Hertzberg). AB 1717 requires the Department of
Justice to evaluate ballistics identification systems to
determine the feasibility and potential benefits to law
enforcement of utilizing a statewide ballistics
identification system capable of maintaining a database of
ballistic images from test fired and sold firearms. The
Firearms Division of the Department of Justice has begun
the study of ballistic identification systems and is
working to complete the task. However, due to the
complexities involved in evaluating existing technologies
and addressing the requirements of the study, the study
will not be completed by June 1, 2001. As a result, this
bill proposes to extend the reporting date for the study
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until January 31, 2002, to ensure that the Department of
Justice can address all of the required elements of the
legislation in a thorough and comprehensive manner.
A statewide ballistic fingerprint system that law
enforcement can utilize to trace guns, bullets and
cartridges recovered from crime scenes to the criminals
that use them would enable law enforcement to more
successfully investigate and prosecute violent crimes that
otherwise might go unsolved. Law enforcement needs the
latest crime fighting technology so they can most
effectively keep up with an increasingly sophisticated
criminal population. Extending the reporting date will
ensure that the study is completed in a thoughtful and
comprehensive manner and will provide the Legislature with
the information to best decide how to potentially utilize
this cutting-edge technology.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Aanestad, Alquist, Aroner, Ashburn, Bates, Bogh,
Briggs, Calderon, Bill Campbell, John Campbell,
Canciamilla, Cardenas, Cardoza, Chan, Chavez, Cogdill,
Cohn, Corbett, Correa, Cox, Daucher, Diaz, Dickerson,
Dutra, Firebaugh, Florez, Frommer, Goldberg, Harman,
Havice, Hollingsworth, Horton, Jackson, Keeley, Kehoe,
Koretz, La Suer, Leach, Leonard, Leslie, Liu, Longville,
Lowenthal, Maddox, Maldonado, Matthews, Migden, Mountjoy,
Nakano, Nation, Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Robert Pacheco,
Rod Pacheco, Papan, Pavley, Pescetti, Reyes, Richman,
Runner, Salinas, Shelley, Simitian, Steinberg,
Strickland, Strom-Martin, Thomson, Vargas, Washington,
Wayne, Wesson, Wiggins, Wright, Wyland, Wyman, Zettel,
Hertzberg
RJG:sl 6/27/01 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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