(Sacramento)—Assemblymember Sandré R. Swanson's (D-Oakland) bill to protect Veterinarians, Code Enforcement Officers and Firefighters passed the Assembly Committee on Transportation yesterday on a 13 to 0 vote with strong bipartisan support.

"This bill will protect three important groups of workers who interact with the public from retaliation for actions carried out in the line of duty," Assemblymember Swanson stated.

"We now face new dangers created by a new set of crimes, which pose additional threats of violence to certain employees. This bill will cover three particularly dangerous cases. One of which is illegal pit bull fighting rings, which in some cases are used to finance illegal gang activities. We are also experiencing violent threats on public safety officials who monitor, report, and close drug manufacturing and drug-dealing homes, which leads to arresting violators. Finally, we have emergency workers who are sometimes called to save homes or people endangered by toxic and explosive chemicals and/or drugs", continued Assemblymember Swanson.

AB 1958 will protect Veterinarians, Firefighters and Code Enforcement Officers and their families by requiring the California Department of Motor Vehicles to keep the home addresses of these public safety employees and their family members confidential.

Mr. Willie Pelote, Political Director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) testified before the Committee, "We have had veterinarians threatened on their jobs and accosted physically by pit bull dog owners, as veterinarians are required to report owners whose dogs have obviously been involved in illegal fights. We have had our veterinarians at zoos threatened with violence by militant animal rights activists. We must provide these employees with some protection."

In addition, Mr. John Lovell, representing California Association of Code Enforcement Officers, the California Narcotic Officers' Association and the California Peace Officers Association testified on the dangers encountered and loss of lives by code enforcement officers in the line of duty. "In one case, a code enforcement official and his entire family were murdered," Mr. Lovell said. Ms. Christy Bouma of the California Professional Firefighters also confirmed the dangers firefighters face in dealing with drug manufacturing operations and drug houses in the course of their work.

"In the past five years, our world has dramatically changed, bringing new dangers from which we can neither hide nor ignore. This legislation will meet that challenge, and will protect these workers and their families from retribution brought about by their obligation to report illegal activities and anybody engaged in them" concluded Assemblymember Swanson.

AB 1958 will now go to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. A hearing date has not been set.