SACRAMENTO – AB 2175, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), was signed into law by Gov. Brown last week.

AB 2175 will give peace officers and harbor patrol officers the authority to take control of a vessel from public property under several circumstances: when they have probable cause to believe it was used in, or as the means of, committing a crime; when officers believe that the vessel is itself evidence; or when a vessel contains evidence which cannot easily be removed.

The bill was sponsored by the California Sheriffs Association.

“Peace officers have long been able to remove vehicles from public property if they had needed it to pursue a criminal or prove their guilt. To give law enforcement the same authority for vessels will make it easier to take criminals out of our communities,” said Aguiar-Curry. “Confusion about authority by our sheriffs, policy chiefs and harbor patrol officials has become an impediment to holding criminals accountable. I’m proud to help them establish clear authority and to increase nautical safety by removing vessels that can pose a risk to the public.”

“AB 2175 will increase boating safety by clarifying law enforcement’s ability to appropriately remove and store vessels that are or contain evidence of the commission of a crime,” said Sheriff Steve Moore, president of the California State Sheriffs’ Association and San Joaquin County sheriff. “We are grateful to Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry for carrying this bill and her commitment to public safety.”

Now law, AB 2175 will take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2019.

Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, all of Yolo County except West Sacramento, and parts of Colusa County, Solano County and Sonoma County.