Thread by @raheemfh

So by my count, the #CALeg sent 9 bills to @GavinNewsom meant to address #policing concerns in the wake of #GeorgeFloyd and others—and killed 10. If I were in a police lobby, I'd be pretty satisfied with this result. Here's why:

The 9 that survived mostly speed up what police agencies were already doing (banning chokeholds) or offer opt-in reforms, like grants to set up non-police emergency response systems, request-only DOJ reviews and county-initiated sheriff oversight. 3 things:

1. @GavinNewsom hasn't said whether he supports the lone #defund bill. 2. Neither advocates nor police believe the DOJ will prosecute more officers. 3. The politicians who would empower their sheriff watchdogs w/supboena powers are often afraid of their sheriffs' political base.

As for the 10 bills that failed, they would've:
-Allowed victims of illegal police violence to seek compensation for medical expenses and funeral costs.
-Banned police from using tear gas or shooting rubber bullets/beanbag rounds at people's faces.
-Made more police misconduct

-Req'ed officers to try to stop police brutality when they see it.
-Disqualify officers who commit crimes or serious misconduct.
-Req'ed depts to finish IA investigations even if cops quit or are fired (which would prevent corrupt officers from job-hopping).
-Etc.

During a summer that saw the largest protests since the civil rights era, California's stronger accountability measures bit the dust while a few soft reforms slid through.

Tough to see how CA lawmakers' actions matched their rhetoric re: police killings of people of color.