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CC - ACTION ITEM: Discussion and, if Desired, Authorization to the Mayor to Issue Letters in Support of California Senate Bill 627 (No Secret Police Act) and California Senate Bill 805 (No Vigilantes Act.)
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Meeting Date: June 30, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager
Phone Number: City Manager’s Office - (310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/29/2025)
Department Approval: John Nachbar, City Manager (06/29/2025) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss and, if desired, authorize the Mayor to issue letters in support of California Senate Bill 627 (No Secret Police Act) and California Senate Bill 805 (No Vigilantes Act).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
SB 627 (2025)
Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to wear a mask, false whiskers, or any personal disguise, as specified, with the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification while committing a public offense, or for concealment, flight, evasion, or escape from arrest or conviction for any public offense.
SB 627 would make it a crime for a law enforcement officer to wear any mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties, except as specified. The bill would exempt an officer engaged in an undercover assignment from these provisions. The bill would define law enforcement officer as any officer of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, or any person acting on behalf of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The legislative counsel’s digest and full text of SB 627, as amended on June 24, 2025, is attached (Attachment 1).
SB 805 (2025)
Existing law prohibits credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team, as specified. Existing law also prohibits willfully and credibly impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, or employee of a public utility, state or local government agency, or search and rescue team through or on an internet website, or by other electronic means, for the purposes of defrauding another. A violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a misdemeanor.
This bill would extend these offenses to include willfully and credibly impersonating any of those entities through any means for the purpose of defrauding another. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would require personnel of a law enforcement agency operating in California to visibly display identification that includes either a name or badge number to the public when performing their duties. The bill would exempt personnel operating undercover from these provisions. The bill would make a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. The bill would define personnel of a law enforcement agency as any officer of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency or any person acting on behalf of a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. By creating a new crime and imposing duties on local law enforcement, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would also authorize law enforcement to request an alleged government employee to present identification when there is probable cause or reasonable suspicion of a crime, including, but not limited to, impersonating a peace officer, firefighter, employee of a public utility or government agency, or member of a search and rescue team, or when there is a legitimate safety concern.
Existing law, the Bail Fugitive Recovery Persons Act, regulates bail fugitive recovery agents, defined as a person given written authorization by the bail or depositor of bail and contracted to investigate, surveil, locate, and arrest a bail fugitive and any person employed to assist the bail or depositor of bail to investigate, surveil, locate, and arrest a bail fugitive.
This bill would prohibit a person authorized to apprehend a bail fugitive from using that position for the purposes of immigration enforcement and would require a person authorized to apprehend a bail fugitive to keep a defendant’s immigration status confidential, as specified.
The legislative counsel’s digest and full text of SB 805, as amended on June 23, 2025, is attached (Attachment 2).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact from issuing letters of support of SB 627 and SB 805.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2025-06-30 ATT SB 627 Amended Text
2. 2025-06-30 ATT SB 805 Amended Text
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. (If desired) Authorize the Mayor to issue letters of support of California Senate Bill 627 and California Senate Bill 805; and/or
2. Provide other direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.