Elsewhere on the Public Safety Front

The Bay Area Council this week hailed the signing of three laws we supported that will address continuing concerns about public safety in our cities and on public transit. Council Vice President Laura Hill, who leads our public safety policy work, joined San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, state Sen. Scott Wiener and other leaders on Monday to celebrate the signing of the Safe Streets Act (SB 276) to combat the sale of stolen goods on San Francisco streets. The legislation supports San Francisco’s community of legal vendors while granting the city new authority to address fencing—the open-air sale of stolen goods that gives rise to retail theft and undermines public safety.

A second measure (AB 394) by Assemblymember Lori Wilson that Gov. Newsom signed strengthens penalties for those who assault or harass transit employees and equips agencies with tools to improve safety across public transportation systems. The legislation comes in response to rising reports by transit workers of harassment and violence. Improving safety on public transit has been one of the Council’s top priorities in recent years as we work to bring riders back to our transit systems. With California facing a growing shortage of police officers, Gov. Newsom also signed AB 922 (Irwin) to remove onerous educational requirements for becoming a police officer while ensuring rigorous hiring standards.