AB 354: Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law establishes the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to, among other functions, certify the eligibility of those persons appointed as peace officers throughout the state. Existing law authorizes POST, as specified, to decertify a certified peace officer for engaging in serious misconduct, as specified.

Existing law requires any agency that employs peace officers to, within 10 days, notify POST of specified occurrences including any complaint, charge, or allegation of serious misconduct by a peace officer employed by that agency and the final disposition of any investigation into that complaint, charge, or allegation, regardless of the discipline actually imposed. Existing law provides that each law enforcement agency shall be responsible for the completion of an investigation into any allegation of serious misconduct by an officer, regardless of the officer’s employment status. Existing law establishes the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) within the Department of Justice to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information between law enforcement agencies in the state.

This bill would require POST employees whose job duties require access to criminal offender record information, state summary criminal history information, or information obtained from CLETS to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check, as specified.

(2)Existing law requires the Department of Justice to maintain state summary criminal history information, as defined, and to furnish this information to various state and local government officers, officials, and other prescribed entities, if needed in the course of their duties. Existing law makes it a crime for a person authorized by law to receive state summary criminal history information to knowingly furnish that information to a person who is not authorized to receive it.

This bill would authorize the commission and all persons for whom background checks have been completed and their duties require access to inspect or duplicate any information derived from CLETS. The bill would additionally authorize the commission and the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Division to inspect and duplicate any criminal history information, criminal offender record information, or criminal justice information, or any other sensitive, confidential or privileged information if the commission determines that the information is needed in the course of the commission’s duties. By expanding the scope of the crime of unlawful disclosure of state summary criminal history information, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. July 14, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 32, Statutes of 2025.
2. July 14, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. July 3, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
4. June 27, 2025In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
5. June 27, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1809.).
6. June 24, 2025Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
7. June 23, 2025From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. June 12, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. June 10, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. May 21, 2025Referred to Com. on PUB. S.
11. May 8, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
12. May 8, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 1485.).