Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2001 today, which will make it easier for cities and counties to crack down on gambling, brothels, and other illegal activities.
The bill was authored by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani.
Stefani says it will give City Attorneys and County Counsels an important tool they've been missing: access to state criminal history records when pursuing public nuisance and Red-Light Abatement cases.
Before the bill passed, civil prosecutors didn’t have access to prior convictions or outstanding warrants outside of their jurisdictions.
The bill was supported by the California State Sheriff's Association, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, and the city and county of San Francisco.
It was opposed by ACLU California Action, DeCrimeSexWorkCA, and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights.
