California state lawmakers passed a bill that would establish new training for law enforcement on recognizing and responding to transnational repression within the state.
Senate Bill 509 would require California’s Office of Emergency Services to develop training guidelines by Jan. 1, 2027, to “provide law enforcement with unbiased information on transnational repression, including trends and guidance from federal authorities.”
The bill overwhelmingly cleared the state Assembly on Sept. 10 and unanimously passed the Senate on Sept. 11.
Authored by state Sen. Anna Caballero and co-authored by Assemblymembers Jasmeet Bains and Esmeralda Soria, SB 509 describes transnational repression as “a human rights violation that seeks to stifle dissent and enhance control over exile, activist, emigrant, and diaspora communities.”…