Gov. Brown vetoes bills on military equipment, demographic studies

The governor has vetoed eight bills, including one that would have required cities and counties to hold a public meeting prior to the acquisition of surplus military hardware.

Assemblywoman Nora Campos (D-San Jose) proposed the bill because of community concerns that some police departments are getting heavy-duty military vehicles that are inappropriate for city streets.

“Transparency is important between law enforcement and the communities they serve, but it must be tempered by security considerations before revealing law enforcement equipment shortages in a public hearing,” Brown wrote in his veto message. “This bill fails to strike the proper balance.”

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Brown also said the bill was unnecessary because President Obama’s executive order making military equipment available to cities will require cities to grant approval for police departments to accept military equipment.

Brown also vetoed a measure that would have required state university and college systems to collect and report demographic information on Asians, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders attending the schools.

Brown said such data might useful, but added, “I am wary of the ever-growing desire to stratify. Dividing people into ethnic or other subcategories may yield more information, but not necessarily greater wisdom about what actions should follow.”

He had similar concerns in vetoing a bill asking the Office of Health Equity to expand the definition of “vulnerable communities” needing extra attention to include those who have experienced trauma related to genocide.

The definition already includes people with mental health conditions, immigrants and refugees, so the bill is unnecessary, he said.

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