Evan Low Bill to Supervise & Deter Violent Repeat Offenders Passes Assembly’s Committee on Public Safety

SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Evan Low’s (D-Silicon Valley) legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 2788, today passed the California State Assembly’s Committee on Public Safety. The legislation aims to address the chronic problem of dangerous repeat criminal offenders like the individual who shot at San Jose Police Officers - including Assemblymember Low’s brother - in August 2023.

Assemblymember Evan Low said of the legislation:

“Violent repeat offenders must not be casually released back into the community to commit more violent crimes such as the individual that opened fire against San Jose Police Officers last August shooting my brother’s partner and putting their lives in danger. Judges should be considering repetitive violent behavior during sentencing and requiring successful completion of rehabilitation programs to earn early release credits, and if those individuals are released they should have maximum supervision during probation.”

AB 2788 applies to anyone, per the language, prohibited from owning a firearm that commits a felony or attempted felony while in possession of a firearm. The legislation requires the judge to consider the possession of a firearm while the individual was prohibited from possessing a firearm and give weight towards maximum sentences allowed, requires rehabilitation or education programs be completed during incarceration for good conduct credits to be awarded, and requires five years of maximum level supervised probation if probation is granted.

The bill now heads to the Assembly’s Committee on Appropriations.

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Evan Low represents the Silicon Valley in the California State Assembly. He was elected in 2014 after serving as a Councilmember and Mayor for the City of Campbell. He serves as a Member of the Assembly Committees on Business and Professions, Elections, Governmental Organization, Higher Education, and Rules. Assemblymember Low also serves as the Chair of the California Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, is the founder and Co-Chair of the California Legislative Technology & Innovation Caucus, and is a Member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.