Praise for Feinstein + Bill limiting traffic stops gets specific + Proposed constitutional changes
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PRAISE FOR FEINSTEIN GOES BEYOND CALIFORNIA POLITICS
Senator Dianne Feinstein’s decision on Tuesday not to seek re-election in 2024 drew praise from California politicians about her storied career, including those who are already in a race to succeed her.
“Dianne Feinstein is one of the finest legislators our state and country have ever known, and her retirement will be felt throughout Congress, California, and the nation,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, said in a statement. Schiff and fellow Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, last month announced they are running for the seat.
“She created a path for women in politics that I am proud to follow,” Porter said in a tweet.
Senate colleagues also paid homage.
“@DianneFeinstein has been a mentor and supporter to so many of the women who have followed her to the Senate,” New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tweeted.
“California & our country are better off because of her,” tweeted Washington Senator Patty Murray.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, tweeted that he enjoyed working with “my friend Dianne Feinstein for decades.” Adding that her hard work and friendship will be missed when her term ends.
And Tony Bennett, the singer, also shared kind words. “She’s been a dear friend of mine for many years and I am grateful for her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact,” Bennett said in a tweet.
TRAFFIC STOPS
Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, added key details Monday to a bill that would curtail the ability of police to conduct traffic stops of vehicles or bicycles for low-level offenses. SB 50, which Bradford introduced in December, now specifies what low-level means. It includes issues related to vehicle registration, window tinting, a single non-working brake light, or a bike’s equipment. It allows police to send a citation or warning letter in lieu of a stop.
One goal of the change is to address persistent racial disparities. In one example, Californians identified by officers as Black were 2.2 times more likely to be searched than people identified as white, according to an analysis of millions of vehicle and pedestrian stops in 2021 by the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board. The board recommends limiting enforcement of traffic laws and minor offenses that pose little risk to public safety.
“It’s a clear pattern that we all should be concerned about and want to address,” Bradford said in an interview.
The Senator introduced a similar proposal last year but it died after passing a Senate committee. It faced opposition from law enforcement groups. Bradford expressed optimism about the bill’s chances this time.
“This will free up law enforcement to do what is really needed to suppress crime,” he said.
CLEANING UP THE CONSTITUTION
Friday is the last day state legislators can introduce bills this year. Among the hundreds of new proposals are measures that would change California’s constitution, after voter approval. On Tuesday, Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, announced one that would remove language added by Proposition 8.
The 2008 ballot initiative said the state would only recognize marriages between a man and a woman. That restriction didn’t last, but the language has remained, even after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 officially ruled that same-sex couples had a right to marry.
“Prop 8 was a hateful attack on LGBTQ people & remains a scar on our Constitution. Given the Supreme Court’s direction, it’s time,” Wiener said in a tweet.
On Wednesday, Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, is expected to announce a proposal to remove a provision from the state constitution that allows for the use of involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. Lawmakers wanted to put a proposed amendment on last November’s ballot, but the measure did not pass in time.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein said in a statement.
Best of The Bee:
Former Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris may run for mayor, via Theresa Clift.
President Joe Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom and others paid homage to Feinstein after her announcement, via Jenavieve Hatch.
Feinstein is the longest serving woman in Senate history, via David Lightman.
This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
