Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Four Benoit Bills Into Law

Senator John J. Benoit (R-Bermuda Dunes) today announced that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law Senate Bills 169, 204, 321, and 431. In August, the Governor signed SB 39 (Good Samaritan Protection Act), Benoit’s measure to provide legal immunity to emergency service volunteer workers.

“I’m very pleased to report that all five of my bills that were put forward to the Governor this year were signed into law,” commented Senator Benoit. “From probation reform to protecting taxpayers, these new laws improve public policy, and I couldn’t be more proud that each was accomplished with strong bipartisan support along the way.”

SB 169 allows local and State law enforcement agencies to issue honorary retiree badges to officers following their dedicated service to the public. Benoit’s bill will give these local agencies a valuable tool for honoring members of their agency who deserve such recognition, and was supported by the California State Sheriffs’ Association and Riverside County Law Enforcement Administrator’s Association.

SB 204 places limits on fees, levied against licensed escrow agents and businesses by the Department of Corporations, in order to create a more favorable business environment for California’s escrow industry.

SB 321 makes substantial reforms to increase the integrity and transparency of local benefit assessment elections. This is the first bill ever sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association to be signed into law in the organization’s thirty-year history.

SB 431 requires an adult probationer’s county of residence to facilitate the offender’s supervision. In some jurisdictions, up to 40 percent of the adults on probation are supervised by a probation officer outside the offender’s home county. Consequently, some probationers are either under duplicative supervision or may be completely unsupervised. SB 431 improves probation oversight and facilitates an offender’s reintegration into the community. With SB 678 (which Benoit coauthored), these probation reforms will save an estimated $30 million annually.

All four of the measures signed into law Sunday will take effect on January 1, 2010.