Assembly Panel Softens, Approves Anti-Gang Measure

SACRAMENTO — An Assembly committee Monday approved a weakened bill designed to crack down on violent street gangs blamed for 112 homicides in Los Angeles during the first six months of this year.

The Public Safety Committee approved the bill on a 5-0 vote after its author, Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys), agreed to drop a provision that would have required forfeiture of property acquired by gang-related activities.

Some Democrats felt the forfeiture provision could have hurt relatives of gang members who were not involved in gang activities.

The bill, which was sent to the Ways and Means Committee, is sponsored by City Atty. James K. Hahn and Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner. It is one of many anti-gang bills that are being pushed by Democrats and Republicans in this election year.

“Drug dealers and gang members armed with shotguns, AK-47s and Uzis are terrorizing entire communities,” Hahn told the panel. “Senseless violence is on everyone’s doorstep, and no one can say, ‘It’s someone else’s problem.’ ”

The bill would make it a crime to participate in a street gang with knowledge that its members intend to engage in criminal activity. It also would stiffen prison penalties for gang-related crimes.

The bill also declares that parents are responsible for supervising their minor children to help prevent gang activity.

Robbins conceded that the bill “does not go as far as we would like . . . in dealing with the cancer of gangs that has spread across our society.”

As originally drafted, law enforcement could have seized property belonging to gang members if it had been determined that it was acquired as the result of criminal activity. Some of the sale proceeds would have gone into a gang violence prevention and education revolving fund.

“We need to get that (forfeiture of assets) at some point,” Robbins said. “We will try in another bill or in another year.”

His original measure passed the Senate by a 34-0 vote in July, 1987.

Marjorie C. Swartz of the American Civil Liberties Union opposed the weakened Robbins bill at the Assembly committee hearing.

Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) has similar anti-gang legislation pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee.