Assemblymember Rodriguez Advances Critical Legislation to Support State and Local Fentanyl Task Forces

(Sacramento, CA) – Today, Assembly Bill (AB) 474, authored by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona), passed out of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety with unanimous support. This legislation would require the State Threat Assessment Center (STAC) within Cal OES to prioritize cooperation with state and local efforts to illuminate, disrupt, degrade, and dismantle criminal networks trafficking opioid drugs that threaten California.

“Transnational Criminal Organizations are supplying drugs that are killing our children. As part of the overall strategy to combating the illegal opioid crisis, we must disrupt these networks of criminals and get opioids off our streets,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez. 

Specifically, AB 474 would require the STAC to, among other things, prepare and share intelligence products for public safety entities, analyze tactics and trends or TCOs operating in California, and share information with government decision-makers and state and local public safety officials regarding the extent to which TCOs are trafficking opioids and pose other public safety threats in California.

Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) continue to threaten California, our public health, and our economic security. The U.S. Department of Treasury estimated over $100 billion in proceeds in the United States have been generated from drug-related crime alone. 

According to the CDC, over 150 people die every day from synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The CDC also noted that the most recent fentanyl-related overdoses are linked to illicitly manufactured fentanyl distributed through illegal drug markets. 

“TCO criminal activity is not limited to drug trafficking. However, the opioid crisis is only worsening, killing Californians every day. Our children have been severely affected by this crisis and are losing their lives at the hands of drugs they know little to nothing about. We must think creatively to fully combat this epidemic, and AB 474 helps us to do so,” added Assemblymember Rodriguez.

Assemblymember Rodriguez (Twitter) represents the 53rd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Upland. He is Chair of the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management.