Key Senate Committee Approves Lieu Bill To Make Parks And Beaches Drug Free

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance), today, won passage of AB 2090 in the California Senate Public Safety Committee by a vote of 5-0.

AB 2090 aims to discourage drug dealers from selling or intending to sell illegal narcotics, including methamphetamines, at public parks and ocean-front beaches. This bill will restore a one-year sentence enhancement that was previously repealed by a sunset clause in 2003.

“AB 2090 calls for a reasonable sentence enhancement that will deter drug use in areas where children congregate,” said Assemblymember Lieu. “It’s essential that we are doing everything possible to keep our children safe and away from drugs.”

AB 2090 will encourage the cities and counties with jurisdiction over public parks and ocean-front beaches to adopt an ordinance which designates the area as a “drug free zone”. Once this bill is adopted, areas will have posted signs clearly marking the area an anti-drug zone. Declaring areas as drug free zones allows communities to offer children a safe place to play without being threatened by drug dealers and drug users.

“AB 2090 is an important step we can take to ensure that drugs do not affect the most vulnerable members of our society -- our children,” said Lieu. “Drugs like methamphetamines contribute to identity theft, burglaries, and an overall deterioration of our communities. This bill will help stop drug trafficking in our community, and help local communities to create a safe environment. ”

AB 2090 will be heard on the California Senate floor in the following months.