Last month, the Assembly was deadlock on a bill that would allow shorter sentences in some gun related crimes. Senate Bill 620 (SB 620) was introduced earlier this year by State Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) with the intent to help ease overcrowding jails. SB 620 would allow judges to not impose sentence enhancements of 10 or more years in cases where firearms were used in committing a felony. Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) stated,
[Judges] are prohibited from considering the facts of the case and whether a penalty would serve the interests of justice.
SB 620 had passed the Senate Floor on May 18th with a 22-14 vote. The bill was progressing through the Assembly until it failed to pass the Assembly Floor last month. The bill failed to pass the Assembly Floor 34-31 on July 10th. Opponents of the bill argued that SB 620 would make the state less safe. Assemblywoman Weber has been pushing for the Assembly to reconsider the bill, but it seems as if it might not get a second opportunity to be voted on by the Assembly.
