Welcome to the Senate Standing Committee on Public Safety

♦Committee Jurisdiction

Legislation amending the following: a) Evidence Code, relating to criminal procedure; b) Penal Code;
c) statutes of a penal nature not related closely to a subject included in another subdivision of this rule; and
d) legislation relating to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

For information on how to submit a position letter by using the advocacy portal please see the directions below:

Advocacy Quick Reference Guide

Support and opposition letters are due by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday of the week prior to the hearing.

Letters must be on letterhead with signature and title of an official of the organization or designated representative.
Coalition letters must have logos, signatures, and titles for all organizations.
Letters of conditional support will not be listed on the analysis.
Letters must clearly indicate position (letters containing "concern" may not be listed).

Letters can also be sent to the Committee through any of the following ways:

During COVID, the best way for us to receive position letters on all legislation is via the advocacy portal.
Using the Advocacy Portal by clicking on the "Submit Position Letter" icon above.
If you wish to mail your letter it may be mailed to us at: Senate Public Safety Committee, Legislative Office Building, Room 545 Sacramento, CA 95814.

The Capitol and O Street building is open for in-person attendance of committee hearings. Please utilize the teleconference service if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive.

The Senate strongly recommends that all members of the public wear a mask in all shared spaces in the Capitol and the 1021 O Street building. Masks are available at all security entrances.

We encourage the public to submit written testimony before the hearing through the position letter portal. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted.

Teleconference Instructions:

Information regarding a call-in option for testimony will be made available and updated the night prior to the hearing date.

Senate Committee on Public Safety call-in information for the August 29th Hearing:

Participant number: 1-877-226-8163

Access Code: 1618051

Please note: In order for your testimony to be heard clearly, you must mute any devices you are using to live stream the committee hearing prior to calling into the teleconference service. Please do not testify using speakerphone or bluetooth, this can cause acoustic feedback and make it very difficult to hear your testimony.

Upon calling in, you will be placed in a “waiting room” where you will be muted but you can listen to the committee hearing as you wait.
When a committee moves to public comment, a moderator will ask for anyone who is wishing to testify in “Support” or “Opposition” of the bill to please press 1-0. You should press 1-0 when you are prompted by the moderator. When you press 1-0 on your phone, you will wait and an operator will assign you a line number, at that time you will be placed in the queue for identification. Remember your line number, the moderator will call out that number to identify YOU when it is your turn to testify. OF IMPORTANT NOTE: If you press 1-0 a second time, you will remove yourself from the queue and you will not be identified to testify. Every time you press 1-0 you either put yourself “In queue” or take yourself “out of queue” so listen carefully, and press 1-0 only once when you are prompted by the moderator.
When you are successfully in the queue, with your assigned line number, the moderator will call out your line number, open your line, and at that time you may address the committee. You must have your own phone unmuted before you begin testimony.

A more detailed explanation of the teleconference instructions can be found by clicking the “Teleconference Instructions”

Please note the various ways we are available to assist you:

Committee phone: (916) 651-4118

Consultants:

Mary Kennedy: mary.kennedy@sen.ca.gov

Alex Barnett: alex.barnett@sen.ca.gov

Stella Choe: stella.choe@sen.ca.gov

Stephanie Jordan: stephanie.jordan@sen.ca.gov

Committee Assistants:

Sarah Loftin: sarah.loftin@sen.ca.gov

Jarad Hollingshead: jarad.hollingshead@sen.ca.gov

Members: