Peace Officers: gassing.

Existing law provides that every person confined in any local detention facility who commits a battery by gassing upon the person of any peace officer, as defined, or employee of the local detention facility is guilty of aggravated battery and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail or by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years. This bill would broaden the scope of application of this offense by providing that it is aggravated battery, punishable as specified above, for any person to commit battery by gassing upon the person of any peace officer. By broadening the scope of application of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.