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AB-354 • 2026

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Crime Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Michelle Rodriguez
Last action
Official status
Chaptered
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the bill imposes a state-mandated local program but does not specify exactly what costs this creates for local agencies.

Background Checks and Data Access Rules for POST Employees

This law requires certain Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) employees to pass criminal background checks before they can access sensitive police data.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires specific POST staff whose jobs need crime record information or CLETS data to get fingerprint-based state and national background checks.
  • Allows the commission and cleared staff with job duties requiring access to view or copy information from the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS).
  • Permits the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Division to inspect sensitive criminal history data if needed for their duties.
  • Expands existing laws that make it a crime to share state summary criminal history with unauthorized people.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
  • Staff in the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Division.

Terms To Know

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
The state agency that sets training standards for police officers, decides if they are eligible to work, or decertifies them for serious misconduct.
CLETS
A computer system run by the Department of Justice that lets law enforcement agencies share information with each other.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not list exactly which POST employees must take background checks, only those whose jobs require access to specific crime data.
  • The text states no state reimbursement is required for local costs but gives a specified reason without detailing it in the summary.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Chaptered

Official Summary Text

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.