Memorandum
Date: April 20, 2022
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Brian L. Martin, Sheriff/Coroner
Subject: Notice of Public Hearing on June 7, 2022 regarding AB481, California Government Code 7070-7075, Military Equipment use presentation and adoption of Sheriff's Office military equipment use policy
Executive Summary: On September 30, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 481 (“AB 481”), which became effective on January 1, 2022. AB 481 stated goals are to provide legally enforceable safeguards to protect the public’s welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties before military equipment is funded, acquired, or used.
Section 7071 requires each law enforcement agency to obtain approval of the applicable governing body, by adoption of a military equipment use policy, by ordinance at a regular meeting held pursuant to specified open meeting laws, prior to taking certain actions relating to the funding, acquisition, use, or collaboration with another agency in the use, of military equipment. The section requires similar approval for the continued use of military equipment acquired before January 1, 2022, with May 1, 2022 as the deadline for an agency to begin a governing body approval process.
A law enforcement agency seeking the approval of the governing body must submit a proposed military equipment use policy to the governing body and make those documents available on the agency’s website at least 30 days before any public hearing concerning the military equipment at issue.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office asks the military equipment presentation be set for the Board of Supervisors regular meeting on June 7th, 2022. The setting of the presentation for June 7th, will meet the requirements of Government Code 7071, begin the approval process with the governing body before May 1st, 2022 and allow the Sheriff’s Office to make available, via the Sheriff’s Office website the proposed military equipment use policy, thirty days prior to a public hearing.
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Recommended Action: Notice of Public Hearing on June 7, 2022 regarding AB481, California Government Code 7070-7075, Military Equipment use presentation and adoption of Sheriff's Office military equipment use policy