Gov. Brown Signs Slew of Laws on Criminal Justice, Cannabis, Net Neutrality, #MeToo and More

In his cumulative 16 years as California governor, Jerry Brown has signed nearly 20,000 bills, including 1,016 this year and the final one—an interest-rate cap on loans above $2,500—on Sunday night. He killed 201 bills this legislative session, for a higher-than-usual veto rate of 16.5 percent, and ended his signing spree with a biblical reference: “And now onto the Promised Land—Colusa County!”

Here’s a look at some of the more notable signatures from his last policymaking run.

Net Neutrality. Brown OK’d a closely watched net neutrality bill, which prompted immediate pushback from the Trump administration.

#MeToo. He authorized a bill making California the first state to require every publicly traded company to have at least one woman on their board of directors.

Transparency. Brown enacted a law that makes public police personnel records involving sustained misconduct and deadly force. Journalists were especially excited about this legislation, namely AB 748 and SB 1421, which were both sponsored by the California Newspaper Publishers Association and seen as the first steps in reversing policies that made this state one of the most secretive in the U.S. when it comes to law enforcement records.

Criminal Justice. Making amends for the tough-on-crime laws he championed during his first terms as governor in the 1970s and ’80s, he also signed a bill preventing 14- and-15-year-olds from being prosecuted as adults for serious crimes.

Internet of Things. Brown has signed a pair of bills that require all hardware makers to include “reasonable” security measures for internet-linked devices.

Pot Shots.  that will make it easierDespite his personal aversion and confusion about cannabis, Brown gave the green light to legislation for people with non-violent marijuana offenses to expunge their records.

Animal Rights. banned the saleCalifornia has officially of animal-tested beauty products. The new law is reportedly the first of its kind in the U.S.

Gun Control. The soon-to-be-former governor signed a heap of gun control bills to start his weekend, including one that raises the minimum age for buying rifles and shotguns by three years to 21. Another imposes a lifelong ban on gun-buying for people convicted of domestic violence or those who have been hospitalized more than once in a year for mental health issues.

For a more comprehensive list, click here to visit the governor’s official website. For the full text of the bills, click here

One Comment

  1. If the CLAMMS (Congressional Left, Academe, Mainstream Media) are excited about all the transparency regarding the release of police personnel records, they should also be required to publish the criminal, mental health, and police contact history of a suspect as well. Something tells me that’s not going to happen. To the CLAMMS transparency is only a one-way street.

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