Thomas Gordon, currently on hiatus from active blogging, notified me that SB 1019 was being heard today in the Assembly Public Safety Committee -- which is chaired by OC's own Assemblyman Jose Solorio. I asked Thomas if he'd mind putting something together that I could post:

The California Assembly public safety committee met today to debate SB 1019.

I listened to the debate online as speaker after speaker addressed the committee, either for or against and expected to hear a motion calling for a vote.

Yet this never happened.

Why?

This bill has the support of State Senator Tom McClintock, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villarigosa, LAPD Chief William Bratton and the Libertarian Party of California among others.

Those opposed include Orange County Chiefs' & Sheriff's Association, Santa Ana Police Officers Association, Anaheim Police Officers Political Action Committee and California Statewide Law Enforcement Association among others.

We are a nation of laws, and for those laws to truly work the public must have full confidence in those we entrust to enforce those laws.

By preventing the public access to disciplinary proceeding, we have no guarantee that those who protect us have the same qualities we expect from other public servants.

So what’s next?

We can expect the public safety committee to again discuss SB 1019 on July 3.  If the public safety committee declines to vote, as I expect they will, SB 1019 becomes a two year bill. Let’s hope public safety Chairman Jose Solorio puts the rights of the people over the health of his re-election war chest.