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A regulation limiting how California police engage with citizens during traffic stops will take effect on January 1, according to sources like The Sun and Fox 5.
Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, signed the recent bill AB-2773, which mandates that police explain their intentions before continuing the conversation with the driver. The law prohibits the cops from starting a conversation by inquiring, "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
The California law will take effect in the 1st half of 2024, and unless it is amended to move back the date of its closure, it will stay in force until January 1, 2030. Additionally, the Department of Motor Vehicles' late registration fees and any enforcement actions that take place the second month after the tag expires will remain in effect.
Tons of new measures have been introduced in California law regarding police interaction with drivers and pedestrians
Plenty of new measures that have been put into law will take effect at the beginning of the new year for the legislators in California. Among these are more than a dozen traffic safety laws that will impact the state's roughly 27 million drivers.
Some of the laws enacted by Governor Gavin Newsom this year aim to address the issue of pedestrian deaths. On the other hand, others look to adopt new safety programs to modify how police interact with motorists during traffic stops.
"Do you know why I pulled you over?" is a question that an officer may have asked a million times to the drivers in the state of California after they were pulled over. However, as of January 2024, police will have to clarify the reason for the traffic stop before they can ask any more questions. They can no longer begin the conversation with that query.
The California law also states that an officer may withdraw from giving a justification for a stop only when they believe it is necessary "to protect life or property from imminent threat." This also applies to the situation when a pedestrian is stopped.
Additionally, the bill forbids police from inquiring about the gender, color, or ethnicity of someone they have stopped. No single circumstance is mentioned where an officer may have to deviate from this rule. Instead, these elements "shall be based on the observation and perception" of the officer.
Furthermore, California law also states:
The right of citizens to "address the extent and limitations of a peace officer’s authority during a traffic stop and the legal rights of drivers and passengers, including, but not limited to, the right to file complaints against a peace officer” will also be made known to them through the state driver's handbook.
Moreover, before the second month following the expiration of a vehicle's registration, an officer may no longer pull over a motorist for enforcement action based only on a violation of the registration sticker displayed on the back license plate of the vehicle.
Assemblywoman Diane Dixon's bill, AB 256, also attempts to limit the authority of law enforcement to conduct "pretextual stops," or stops that are utilized as a means of investigation for a purpose that has no bearing on the reason a driver was pulled over in the first place.
The bill's author, state senator Steven Bradford, stated that:
"It is required to promote equity and accountability in communities across California."
Sen. Bradford continued:
“AB2773 brings transparency to service of protecting our public,”
Law enforcement organizations are also required by law to keep an eye on legal compliance and to document the justifications for each stop they make in their reports.
It was also developed to assist in defusing situations involving the police and the public. The proposal also includes regulations that forbid a police officer from searching a driver or a passenger to ascertain their biological s*x. At the same time, frisking is permitted only if the officer can explain their actions.
