Crimes: assault and battery: search and rescue teams.

Existing law establishes the crime of assault against specified public safety officers, such as peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, among others, while engaged in the performance of their duties, as specified. The offense is punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment. This bill would expand the scope of the offense to include search and rescue members, as defined, while engaged in the performance of their duties, as specified. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law establishes the crime of battery against specified public safety officers, such as peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians, among others, while engaged in the performance of their duties, as specified. The offense is punishable, except when the victim sustains an injury, by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment. This bill would expand the scope of the battery offense described above where the victim does not sustain an injury, to include a search and rescue member, as defined, while engaged in the performance of his or her duty, as specified. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 243 of the Penal Code made by AB 109, which has been chaptered but is not yet operative. The bill would also incorporate additional changes proposed by SB 406 to become operative only if this bill and SB 406 are chaptered and this bill is chaptered last. 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.