SB 1161: Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program.
- Session Year: 2017-2018
- House: Senate
- Latest Version Date: 2018-04-25
Existing law authorizes specified counties to develop the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program and the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program. Existing law requires the participating counties to form a regional task force to develop crime prevention, problem solving, and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities. Existing law prescribes the percentage of the funds appropriated for the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Project that is allocated to each participating county.
This bill would authorize the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to create the Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program. The bill would require those counties, if they participate, to form a regional task force. The bill would allocate moneys appropriated to the program by the Legislature equally between the counties for these purposes.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law requires junk dealers and recyclers, as defined, to maintain written records of all sales and purchases made in the course of their business, and makes a violation of the recordkeeping requirements a misdemeanor. Existing law prohibits a junk dealer or recycler from providing payment for nonferrous material, as defined, unless the payment is made by cash or check, the check is mailed or the cash or check is provided no earlier than 3 days after the date of sale, and the dealer or recycler obtains a photograph or video of the seller and certain other identifying information, as specified, which is to be retained by the dealer or recycler, as part of the written record of purchases, for a specified period of time. Existing law exempts from the payment by cash or check requirement those sellers of junk or recycling materials who conduct 5 or more separate transactions per month with the junk dealer or recycler, as specified. This bill, instead, would require payment for the material to be made in the form of a donation to a nonprofit organization, unless the material is delivered by a junk dealer or recycler. The bill, if the material is delivered by a junk dealer or recycler, would require payment for the material to be made by cash or check.Existing law requires junk dealers and recyclers, as defined, to maintain written records of all sales and purchases made in the course of their business, and makes a violation of the recordkeeping requirements a misdemeanor. Existing law prohibits a junk dealer or recycler from providing payment for nonferrous material, as defined, unless the payment is made by cash or check, the check is mailed or the cash or check is provided no earlier than 3 days after the date of sale, and the dealer or recycler obtains a photograph or video of the seller and certain other identifying information, as specified, which is to be retained by the dealer or recycler, as part of the written record of purchases, for a specified period of time. Existing law exempts from the payment by cash or check requirement those sellers of junk or recycling materials who conduct 5 or more separate transactions per month with the junk dealer or recycler, as specified.
This bill, instead, would require payment for the material to be made in the form of a donation to a nonprofit organization, unless the material is delivered by a junk dealer or recycler. The bill, if the material is delivered by a junk dealer or recycler, would require payment for the material to be made by cash or check.
The Legislature encourages the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to develop, adopt, and implement an Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program based on the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program established by Title 11.5 (commencing with Section 14170) and the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program established by Title 11.7 (commencing with Section 14180).
14191.(a)The Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino may develop within their respective jurisdictions an Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program, which shall be administered by the county district attorneys office or the county sheriffs department of each respective county under a joint powers agreement entered into pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(b)The parties to each agreement shall form a regional task force, known as the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force, that includes the respective county office of the county agricultural commissioner, the county district attorney, the county sheriff, and interested property owner groups or associations. The task force shall be an interactive team working together to develop crime prevention, problem solving, and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities. The task force may operate from a joint facility in order to facilitate investigative coordination. The task force may also consult with experts from the United States Armed Forces, the California Military Department, the Department of Justice, other law enforcement entities, and various other state and private organizations, as deemed necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the program. Media and community support may be solicited to promote the program. Each of the participating counties shall adopt rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of the program.
(1)In order to receive funds for the program, each designated county shall agree to participate in the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force and shall appoint a representative to that task force.
(2)The Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force may develop rural crime prevention programs containing a system for reporting rural crimes that enables the swift recovery of stolen goods and the apprehension of criminal suspects for prosecution. The task force may develop computer software and use communication technology to implement the reporting system, although the task force is not limited to the use of these means to achieve the stated goals.
(3)The Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force may develop a uniform procedure for participating counties to collect, and each participating county may collect, data on agricultural crimes. The task force may also establish a central database for the collection and maintenance of data on agricultural crimes and designate one participating county to maintain the database. State funds the counties receive to operate the rural crime prevention programs may be used to implement this requirements of this paragraph. This paragraph does not prohibit counties from using their own funds to implement this paragraphs provisions, however, it is the Legislatures intent that this paragraph not be construed as creating a state-mandated local program.
(c)The staff for each program may consist of the personnel designated by the district attorney and sheriff for each county in accordance with the joint powers agreement.
14192.(a)Funds appropriated to the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force shall be allocated by the controller equally between the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.
SEC. 2.This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
Due to the thousands of dollars daily that are lost to rural agricultural communities in the Inland Empire through theft, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.
SECTION 1.Section 21608.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:21608.5.(a)A junk dealer or recycler in this state shall not provide payment for nonferrous material unless, in addition to meeting the written record requirements of Sections 21605 and 21606, all of the following requirements are met:(1)The payment for the material is made in the form of a donation to a nonprofit organization, unless the material is delivered by seller who is a junk dealer or recycler, in which case the payment for the material shall be made by cash or check. The check may be mailed to the seller at the address provided pursuant to paragraph (3) or the cash or check may be collected by the seller from the junk dealer or recycler on or after the third business day after the date of sale.(2)At the time of sale, the junk dealer or recycler obtains a clear photograph or video of the seller.(3)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the junk dealer or recycler obtains a copy of the valid drivers license of the seller containing a photograph and an address of the seller, a copy of a state or federal government-issued identification card containing a photograph and an address of the seller, a passport from any other country in addition to another item of identification bearing an address of the seller, or a Matricula Consular in addition to another item of identification bearing an address of the seller.(B)If the seller prefers to have the check for the material mailed to an alternative address, other than a post office box, the junk dealer or recycler shall obtain a copy of a drivers license or identification card described in subparagraph (A), and a gas or electric utility bill addressed to the seller at that alternative address with a payment due date no more than two months prior to the date of sale. For purposes of this paragraph, alternative address means an address that is different from the address appearing on the sellers drivers license or identification card.(4)The junk dealer or recycler obtains a clear photograph or video of the nonferrous material being purchased.(5)The junk dealer or recycler shall preserve the information obtained pursuant to this subdivision for a period of two years after the date of sale.(6)(A)The junk dealer or recycler obtains a thumbprint of the seller, as prescribed by the Department of Justice. The junk dealer or recycler shall keep this thumbprint with the information obtained under this subdivision and shall preserve the thumbprint in either hardcopy or electronic format for a period of two years after the date of sale.(B)Inspection or seizure of the thumbprint shall only be performed by a peace officer acting within the scope of his or her authority in response to a criminal search warrant signed by a magistrate and served on the junk dealer or recycler by the peace officer. Probable cause for the issuance of that warrant must be based upon a theft specifically involving the transaction for which the thumbprint was given.(b)Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall not apply if, during any three-month period commencing on or after the effective date of this section, the junk dealer or recycler completes five or more separate transactions per month, on five or more separate days per month, with the seller and, in order for paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) to continue to be inapplicable, the seller must continue to complete five or more separate transactions per month with the junk dealer or recycler.(c)This section shall not apply if, on the date of sale, the junk dealer or recycler has on file or receives all of the following information:(1)The name, physical business address, and business telephone number of the sellers business.(2)The business license number or tax identification number of the sellers business.(3)A copy of the valid drivers license of the person delivering the nonferrous material on behalf of the seller to the junk dealer or the recycler.(d)(1)This section shall not apply to the purchase of nonferrous material having a value of not more than twenty dollars ($20) in a single transaction, when the majority of the transaction is for the redemption of beverage containers under the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, as set forth in Division 12.1 (commencing with Section 14500) of the Public Resources Code.(2)Materials made of copper or copper alloys shall not be purchased under this subdivision.(e)This section shall not apply to coin dealers or to automobile dismantlers, as defined in Section 220 of the Vehicle Code.(f)For the purposes of this section, nonferrous material means copper, copper alloys, stainless steel, or aluminum, but does not include beverage containers, as defined in Section 14505 of the Public Resources Code, that are subject to a redemption payment pursuant to Section 14560 of the Public Resources Code.(g)This section is intended to occupy the entire field of law related to junk dealer or recycler transactions involving nonferrous material. However, a city or county ordinance, or a city and county ordinance, relating to the subject matter of this section is not in conflict with this section if the ordinance is passed by a two-thirds vote and it can be demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the ordinance is both necessary and addresses a unique problem within and specific to the jurisdiction of the ordinance that cannot effectively be addressed under this section.(a)A junk dealer or recycler in this state shall not provide payment for nonferrous material unless, in addition to meeting the written record requirements of Sections 21605 and 21606, all of the following requirements are met:
(1)The payment for the material is made by cash or check. in the form of a donation to a nonprofit organization, unless the material is delivered by seller who is a junk dealer or recycler, in which case the payment for the material shall be made by cash or check. The check may be mailed to the seller at the address provided pursuant to paragraph (3) or the cash or check may be collected by the seller from the junk dealer or recycler on or after the third business day after the date of sale.
(2)At the time of sale, the junk dealer or recycler obtains a clear photograph or video of the seller.
(3)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the junk dealer or recycler obtains a copy of the valid drivers license of the seller containing a photograph and an address of the seller, a copy of a state or federal government-issued identification card containing a photograph and an address of the seller, a passport from any other country in addition to another item of identification bearing an address of the seller, or a Matricula Consular in addition to another item of identification bearing an address of the seller.
(B)If the seller prefers to have the check for the material mailed to an alternative address, other than a post office box, the junk dealer or recycler shall obtain a copy of a drivers license or identification card described in subparagraph (A), and a gas or electric utility bill addressed to the seller at that alternative address with a payment due date no more than two months prior to the date of sale. For purposes of this paragraph, alternative address means an address that is different from the address appearing on the sellers drivers license or identification card.
(4)The junk dealer or recycler obtains a clear photograph or video of the nonferrous material being purchased.
(5)The junk dealer or recycler shall preserve the information obtained pursuant to this subdivision for a period of two years after the date of sale.
(6)(A)The junk dealer or recycler obtains a thumbprint of the seller, as prescribed by the Department of Justice. The junk dealer or recycler shall keep this thumbprint with the information obtained under this subdivision and shall preserve the thumbprint in either hardcopy or electronic format for a period of two years after the date of sale.
(B)Inspection or seizure of the thumbprint shall only be performed by a peace officer acting within the scope of his or her authority in response to a criminal search warrant signed by a magistrate and served on the junk dealer or recycler by the peace officer. Probable cause for the issuance of that warrant must be based upon a theft specifically involving the transaction for which the thumbprint was given.
(b)Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall not apply if, during any three-month period commencing on or after the effective date of this section, the junk dealer or recycler completes five or more separate transactions per month, on five or more separate days per month, with the seller and, in order for paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) to continue to be inapplicable, the seller must continue to complete five or more separate transactions per month with the junk dealer or recycler.
(c)This section shall not apply if, on the date of sale, the junk dealer or recycler has on file or receives all of the following information:
(1)The name, physical business address, and business telephone number of the sellers business.
(2)The business license number or tax identification number of the sellers business.
(3)A copy of the valid drivers license of the person delivering the nonferrous material on behalf of the seller to the junk dealer or the recycler.
(d)(1)This section shall not apply to the purchase of nonferrous material having a value of not more than twenty dollars ($20) in a single transaction, when the majority of the transaction is for the redemption of beverage containers under the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, as set forth in Division 12.1 (commencing with Section 14500) of the Public Resources Code.
(2)Materials made of copper or copper alloys shall not be purchased under this subdivision.
(e)This section shall not apply to coin dealers or to automobile dismantlers, as defined in Section 220 of the Vehicle Code.
(f)For the purposes of this section, nonferrous material means copper, copper alloys, stainless steel, or aluminum, but does not include beverage containers, as defined in Section 14505 of the Public Resources Code, that are subject to a redemption payment pursuant to Section 14560 of the Public Resources Code.
(g)This section is intended to occupy the entire field of law related to junk dealer or recycler transactions involving nonferrous material. However, a city or county ordinance, or a city and county ordinance, relating to the subject matter of this section is not in conflict with this section if the ordinance is passed by a two-thirds vote and it can be demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the ordinance is both necessary and addresses a unique problem within and specific to the jurisdiction of the ordinance that cannot effectively be addressed under this section.
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Date
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Status
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| Aug 16, 2018 | August 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. |
| Aug 10, 2018 | Set for hearing August 16. |
| Aug 6, 2018 | August 6 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| Jul 4, 2018 | Set for hearing August 6. |
| Jun 26, 2018 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| May 10, 2018 | Re-referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and APPR. |
| Apr 30, 2018 | Withdrawn from committee. |
| Apr 25, 2018 | From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B., P. & E.D. |
| Apr 17, 2018 | April 23 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Mar 20, 2018 | Set for hearing April 23. |
| Feb 22, 2018 | Referred to Com. on B., P. & E.D. |
| Feb 15, 2018 | From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17. |
| Feb 14, 2018 | Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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| Aug 6, 2018 | Placed on suspense file | Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
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| Jun 26, 2018 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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| California Farm Bureau Federation; Riverside Sheriffs' Association | ** Support | Jun 25, 2018 |
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair
2017 - 2018 Regular Session
SB 1161 (Stone) - Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program
Version: | Policy Vote: |
Urgency: | Mandate: |
Hearing Date: | Consultant: |
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill Summary:
SB 1161, an urgency measure, would allow Riverside and San Bernardino counties to create an Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program within their jurisdictions, and if they do, would require them to form the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force.
Fiscal Impact:
- Unknown, potentially-major ongoing cost pressure in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to the millions of dollars annually to the General Fund to provide funding to the Inland Empire Rural Prevention Program.
- Ongoing costs of approximately $281,000 annually to the Department of Justice for 2.0 new Research Analyst IIs to assist the task force with the evaluation of crime prevention and development of problem solving and crime control techniques. Additionally, the department anticipates that a negligible increase in workload for the Special Agent Supervisor in the Inland Crackdown Allied task force resulting from this measure. (General Fund)
Background:
According to the analysis of this bill by the Senate Committee on Public Safety:
Rural crime prevention programs began with a pilot program in Tulare County, which was established as the Rural Crime Demonstration Project. This project was administered by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. The original project was formed under a joint powers agreement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office entered into pursuant to Gov. Code, §§ 6500, et seq. In 1999, the initial pilot project in Tulare County was expanded to the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program. This program eventually included seven counties (Fresno, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare).
In 2003 a second program was created as the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program, which currently includes five California counties (Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo).
Proposed Law:
This bill would allow the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to create the Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program within their respective jurisdictions to be administered by the county district attorney’s office or county sheriff’s department. If the counties both create the program, this bill would require those counties to form a regional task force, made up of specified entities, to develop crime prevention, problem solving, and crime control techniques to encourage timely reporting of crimes and to evaluate the results of these activities.
SB 1161 would require that moneys appropriated by the Legislature to the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force be allocated equally between the counties for these purposes.
Lastly, SB 1161, as an urgency measure, would go into effect immediately.
Related Legislation:
AB 909 (Gray, 2013) would have established the Metal Theft Task Force Program to provide grants to local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to enforce metal theft and related recycling law. AB 909 was vetoed by the governor, who stated that “[t]his bill creates a new enforcement effort without identifying a funding source. Today I signed SB 485, which does provide a funding source for greater enforcement within the existing infrastructure.”
SB 44 (Denham, Ch. 18, Stats. 2003) allowed for the creation of the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program.
AB 157 (Reyes, Ch. 564, Stats. 1999) allowed for the creation of the Rural Crime Prevention Program (which is now known as the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program).
Staff Comments:
Both, the Central Valley and Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention programs, which this bill seeks to mirror in the Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program, have a dedicated funding source. Specifically, the former programs receive approximately 9.064 percent of approximately 8.998 percent of moneys annually deposited into the Enhancing Law Enforcement Activities Subaccount in the Local Revenue Fund 2011 after specified allocations have been made. This bill does not specify a funding source for the Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program, leading to cost pressures to the General Fund to provide funding for the program and task force.
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Senator Nancy Skinner, Chair
2017 - 2018 Regular
Bill No: SB 1161 Hearing Date: June 26, 2018
Author: | Stone | ||
Version: | April 25, 2018 | ||
Urgency: | Yes | Fiscal: | No |
Consultant: | GC | ||
Subject: Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program
HISTORY
Source: Author
Prior Legislation: AB 157 (Reyes), Ch. 564, Stats. of 1999
SB 44 (Denham), Ch. 18, Stats. of 2003
Support: California Farm Bureau Federation; Riverside Sheriffs’ Association
Opposition: None known
Assembly Floor Vote:
PURPOSE
The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to create the Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program. The bill also requires those counties, if they participate, to form a regional task force. The bill would allocate moneys appropriated to the program by the Legislature equally between the counties for these purposes.
Existing law authorizes the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo to develop a Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program. Additionally, existing law provides for the development and administration of the program, rules for formation of the regional task force, rules and regulations, as well as collection of data on agricultural crimes. (Pen. Code, § 14180, et seq.)
Existing law authorizes the counties of Fresno, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare to develop a Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program which is administered by the county district attorney’s office or the county sheriff’s department of each respective county under a joint powers agreement. (Pen. Code, § 14171.)
This bill states that the Legislature encourages the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to develop, adopt, and implement an Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program based on the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program and the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program.
This bill specifies that the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino may develop within their respective jurisdictions an Inland Empire Rural Crime Prevention Program, which shall be administered by the county district attorney’s office or the county sheriff’s department of each respective county under a joint powers agreement.
- The parties to each agreement shall form a regional task force, known as the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force, that includes the respective county office of the county agricultural commissioner, the county district attorney, the county sheriff, and interested property owner groups or associations.
- The task force shall be an interactive team working together to develop crime prevention, problem solving, and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities.
- The task force may operate from a joint facility in order to facilitate investigative coordination. The task force may also consult with experts from the United States Armed Forces, the California Military Department, the Department of Justice, other law enforcement entities, and various other state and private organizations, as deemed necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the program.
- Media and community support may be solicited to promote the program.
- Each of the participating counties shall adopt rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of the program.
This bill specifies that in order to receive funds for the program, each designated county shall agree to participate in the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force and shall appoint a representative to that task force.
This bill specifies that the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force may develop rural crime prevention programs containing a system for reporting rural crimes that enables the swift recovery of stolen goods and the apprehension of criminal suspects for prosecution.
This bill provides that the task force may develop computer software and use communication technology to implement the reporting system, although the task force is not limited to the use of these means to achieve the stated goals.
This bill provides that the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force may develop a uniform procedure for participating counties to collect, and each participating county may collect, data on agricultural crimes. The task force may also establish a central database for the collection and maintenance of data on agricultural crimes and designate one participating county to maintain the database. State funds the counties receive to operate the rural crime prevention programs may be used to implement the requirements of this paragraph. This paragraph does not prohibit counties from using their own funds to implement this paragraph’s provisions, however, it is the Legislature’s intent that this paragraph not be construed as creating a state-mandated local program.
This bill states that the staff for each program may consist of the personnel designated by the district attorney and sheriff for each county in accordance with the joint powers agreement.
This bill specifies that funds appropriated to the Inland Empire Rural Crime Task Force shall be allocated by the controller equally between the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.
COMMENTS
1. Need for This Bill
According to the author:
While there are many laws that have been passed trying to deter metal theft and other rural crimes, there still continues to be rampant thefts and crime throughout the business and farming communities of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. SB 1161 gives these communities the resources needed to help law enforcement combat the unique rural-based crimes that face our agricultural businesses.
2. Rural Crime Prevention Programs in California
Rural crime prevention programs began with a pilot program in Tulare County, which was established as the Rural Crime Demonstration Project. This project was administered by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. The original project was formed under a joint powers agreement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office entered into pursuant to Gov. Code, §§ 6500, et seq. In 1999, the initial pilot project in Tulare County was expanded to the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program. This program eventually included seven counties (Fresno, Kern, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare).
In 2003 a second program was created as the Central Coast Rural Crime Prevention Program, which currently includes five California counties (Monterey, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo).
3. Prior Versions have had Reporting Requirements
Prior versions of this legislation have required the Legislative Analyst Office to evaluate the program, and present its evaluation, including a detailed cost benefit analysis of the entire program to the Governor, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the fiscal committees of the Legislature. This bill does not contain those provisions.
4. Argument in Support
According to the California Farm Bureau Federation:
California’s rural communities are seeing a sharp increase in crime, specifically crop, equipment, metal and mail theft, cattle rustling, vandalism, illegal dumping, and drug production. These challenges require unique problem solving and broad cooperation from state, local and federal law enforcement, land owners and businesses. The costs to remediate impacts from rural crime, such as copper wire stripping from irrigation pipes and sprinkler heads, fall disproportionately on land holders who are already underserved by state and local crime prevention programs. With Riverside and San Bernardino counties accounting for $1.732 billion in gross value in 2016, the agricultural industry in the Inland Empire deserves California’s protection.
In response, SB 1161 (Stone) would authorize Riverside and San Bernardino counties to create a coordinated regional task force to address these unique challenges and develop systems to monitor, report, investigate and deter rural crimes. This program would be based on the existing Central Coast and Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Programs. As such, each county has the overall discretion to tailor specific programs and would strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies in rural areas to detect and monitor agricultural and rural-based crimes.
Farm Bureau believes that SB 1161 addresses a real issue plaguing rural Californians and will allow for improved communication and integration to take a significant bite out of rural crime.
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Discussed in Hearing
1H
Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):