Vital Legislation to Support State and Local Fentanyl Task Forces Clears Senate Policy Committee

(Sacramento, CA) – Today, Assembly Bill (AB) 474, authored by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona), passed the Senate Committee on Public Safety with a vote of 5-0. This bill 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. 

“Transactional Criminal Organizations continue to threaten our State, public health, and economic security. AB 474 will enable us to strategically disrupt these networks of criminals and get opioid drugs off our streets. As yesterday was the ‘International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,’ I am especially proud to continue moving this measure forward,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez. 

The State Threat Assessment Center (STAC) serves as California’s information-sharing clearinghouse of strategic threat analysis and situational awareness reporting to statewide leadership and the public safety community to support efforts to prevent, prepare for, mitigate, and respond to all crimes and hazards impacting California. 

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.

According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, drug-related crime alone has generated more than $100 billion in proceeds in the United States. TCOs also facilitated and profited from smuggling migrants into the United States, and their illicit trade activity led to the seizure of over $2.14 billion in Intellectual Property violations in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

“As Chair of the Emergency Management Committee, I have been working with my colleagues to combat the ongoing opioid crisis and protect the lives of Californians. Allowing our State to gain insights and information on TCOs and other threats to California through AB 474 is the first step in fighting back and ultimately stopping the opioid epidemic. Thank you to my Senate colleagues for sharing this goal of reducing fentanyl exposure and deaths in California,” 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.