SACRAMENTO - Assemblywoman Patty Berg found common ground with a pair of law enforcement groups Wednesday and added them to the list of supporters for her bill that makes it easier for cities and counties to operate needle-exchange programs to combat AIDS.

The California Peace Officers’ Association and the California Narcotic Officers’ Association had spent more than two years trying to block Berg’s efforts to ease restrictions on clean needle programs. Last year, that opposition helped earn the bill a veto from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But after long negotiations with law enforcement groups, health officers and Schwarzenegger’s staff, Berg, D-Eureka, agreed to make changes to Assembly Bill 547 that brought all sides together in support of her measure. This is the third year she has authored a bill on this subject, but the first time she has earned the backing of law enforcement.

AB 547 would eliminate a section of state law that requires cities and counties to declare a health emergency every two weeks in order to operate a needle-exchange program. The bill initially would have required no periodic review. But when Berg agreed to require one review each year, opposition turned into support.

“The amendments remove our opposition and change us to support,” John Lovell, who represents both law enforcement groups, told members of the Senate Health Committee, which approved the bill a short time later. “We would be delighted to go on as co-sponsors of this bill.”

Gary Hudson, under sheriff of Mendocino County, also spoke in support of the bill.

“A clean needle is better than a dirty needle,” he said.

Health experts say providing intravenous drug users with clean needles slows the spread of AIDS and Hepatitis-C. The exchange programs also serve as a gateway to drug treatment programs.

“The science is clear, this program prevents disease and saves lives,” said Bruce Pomer of the Health Officers Association of California, which sponsored the bill.

“This shows once again that there is no limit to what you can do when you are willing to work together and listen to other people’s ideas,” said Berg. “I believe this will save lives, and slow the spread of some terrible diseases, and we can all be very happy about that.”