SB 602: Trespass.

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to commit the crime of trespass, which includes refusing or failing to leave land, real property, or structures belonging to, or lawfully occupied by, another and not open to the general public upon being requested to leave by a peace officer at the request of the owner, the owners agent, or the person in lawful possession and upon being informed by the peace officer that they are acting at the request of the owner, the owners agent, or the person in lawful possession. Existing law requires the owner, the owners agent, or the person in lawful possession to make a separate request to the peace officer on each occasion when the peace officers assistance in dealing with a trespass is requested, except that a single request for peace officer assistance may be made for a period not to exceed 12 months when the premises or property is closed to the public and posted as being closed. Existing law requires the requester to inform the law enforcement agency to which the request was made when the assistance is no longer desired before the 12-month period expires. Existing law also authorizes a single request for a peace officers assistance to be made for a period of time not to exceed 30 days and identified by specific dates when there is a fire hazard or the owner, the owners agent, or the person in lawful possession is absent from the property. Under existing law, a request for assistance expires when ownership of the property changes or upon a change in the person in lawful possession.

This bill would authorize a single request for assistance to be made and submitted electronically, in a notarized form provided by the law enforcement agency, to a peace officer. The bill would extend the maximum period of time for a request for peace officers assistance from 30 days to 12 months for requests pertaining to fire hazard or the owners absence. The bill would authorize local governments to accept electronic submissions of requests for peace officer assistance.