BRIAN R. MARVEL
PORAC President

The Fight Is Not Over

Last month, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 627, the mask bill, into law. In my decades serving as a peace officer and eight years as PORAC’s president, representing the rights and benefits of more than 87,000 California public safety professionals, I have never seen a bill that so blatantly deceives the public as SB 627.

This bill represents a dangerous attack on California’s local peace officers by creating immunity exceptions when unauthorized mask use is involved. This makes California’s local law enforcement collateral damage in a state-versus-federal showdown, while masquerading as an end to masked immigration enforcement across the state.

The last-minute amendments to SB 627, which were dropped into the bill with only days left in the legislative session, strip longstanding immunity protections exclusively from local peace officers if they wear any kind of face covering — whether a mask, helmet, garment or eyewear — outside of narrow, poorly defined exceptions. With less than 72 hours to act, PORAC did everything imaginable to fight this bill. We worked around the clock with our state law enforcement partners to kill the bill — and we came very close. However, the bill author was able to flip the few votes he needed following a poorly timed, immigration-related Supreme Court ruling that came just hours before the Assembly floor vote on SB 627. In true California political fashion, logic did not prevail. Facts did not prevail. I recommend that you watch the video at assembly.ca.gov/media/assembly-floor-session-20250909 and see the political theater by some of our elected officials. SB 627 begins at the 6:24:35 mark.

This year’s emotionally charged immigration debates made fighting SB 627 an uphill battle. This wasn’t only about California — pressures from Washington, D.C., played a major part in decision-making, as some elected officials who serve large immigrant communities faced intense pressure. Out of fear and a desire to secure their positions, many chose the easy path, supporting SB 627 despite its flaws. In times of difficulty, a leader’s character is revealed — and this bill exposed some who prioritized comfort over courage, making irrational and haphazard decisions that put public safety at risk.

As local peace officers who live in and care deeply about the communities we serve, we understand the polarization and fear that masked immigration enforcement actions have created across the state. However, California’s peace officers are not federal agents. There are state laws that explicitly limit us from using resources for immigration enforcement — and we abide by those laws while proudly serving the state we call home.

The passage of SB 627, and the rollback of critical immunity protections for local peace officers, is a troubling betrayal that deeply wounds California’s local law enforcement community.

These protections enable officers to do their jobs in good faith without fear of retaliation. This bill will have a chilling effect on our profession, undermining officer recruitment and driving existing local officers out of California or to state law enforcement agencies that are conveniently exempt from this law.

PORAC’s fight against this bill is far from over. We are pushing back with everything we have, because this bill is not just bad policy — it sets a dangerous precedent and will negatively impact our recruitment and retention of good officers.

As a result of the misguided, misdirected and poorly crafted bill, Governor Newsom has personally directed the Legislature to address these concerns next session.

This issue is too important to get wrong. PORAC is unwavering in championing the rights and safety of our members. This will be a long fight ahead, but we are ready for it. I refuse to allow peace officers to be pawns in a state–federal conflict that should not involve us. We will be introducing legislation next year to amend the deceptive and misguided language in SB 627, putting forth commonsense solutions instead of empty promises.

Please stay up to date by signing up for our member alerts at PORAC.org to learn about our next steps. What makes PORAC great is our ability to stand unified with one voice — the voice of law enforcement and public safety.

See you in San Diego!