Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a California bill that would have expressly made theft by a peace officer under color of authority a ground for decertification, rejecting legislation that passed the Legislature without a single no vote. Assembly Bill 2337 would have authorized the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, known as POST, to suspend or revoke an officer's certification for that conduct.
What the Bill Would Have Done
AB 2337 would have specifically authorized POST to suspend or revoke the certification of an officer who commits theft under color of authority, according to a bill summary published by Digital Democracy. Existing law already lets POST suspend or revoke certification for serious misconduct, while the commission separately sets minimum standards for recruiting and training peace officers statewide.
Assemblymember Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale, authored the bill, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California supported it, according to the Sacramento Bee. The Bee reported that POST decertification would prevent an officer from working in California law enforcement again. Lackey said the measure would make clear that officers could not tolerate theft committed in the course of their duties, and he criticized Newsom's veto as sending the wrong message to officers.
Newsom's Reasoning for the Veto
How the Bill Would Have Fit Into California's Decertification System
According to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, the statewide certification and decertification program created by Senate Bill 2 took effect Jan. 1, 2022. Under that framework, POST's Peace Officer Standards Accountability Division can investigate qualifying misconduct; when it finds reasonable grounds for suspension or revocation, it must notify the officer in writing, explain the reasons and describe the officer's rights to contest and appeal. AB 2337 would have added an express reference to theft under color of authority to that framework, while Newsom said existing serious-misconduct provisions already covered abuse of power and dishonesty. A separate Los Angeles case illustrates the type of conduct at issue: KTLA reported that authorities accused LAPD Officer Alan Carrillo of taking personal items during traffic and pedestrian stops in April and June 2023, and prosecutors charged him with petty theft and evidence-related offenses. More broadly, KPBS reported in March 2025 that California had decertified nearly 300 officers over the previous two years for violations including excessive force, dishonesty and sexual assault.
Newsom said existing law already covers abuse of power and dishonesty within the definition of serious misconduct, according to the Bee's account. He said adding a theft-specific provision was unnecessary because the conduct was already covered.
Why Afroman Was Mentioned
Lackey cited rapper Afroman during the bill's consideration, the Bee reported. Afroman, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, became associated with the proposal after a 2022 search of his Ohio farmhouse by the Adams County Sheriff's Office. The search, conducted over suspected drug trafficking and kidnapping, did not result in charges, according to the same report.
Afroman's home surveillance footage showed deputies during the search, and he later accused them of taking $400. The Adams County sheriff denied that allegation and said the discrepancy resulted from evidence being miscounted, according to the Bee. Afroman later released songs and videos criticizing the deputies, including "Lemon Pound Cake," a reference that gave AB 2337 its unofficial nickname.
A Departing Lawmaker's Final Session
Lackey is leaving the Assembly in 2026 after 12 years in the chamber, according to the Bee. During what the outlet described as his final legislative session, he also sponsored Gabriel's Law, named for Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy who died in the child welfare system in 2013.
The Bee reported that Gabriel's Law makes it easier to prosecute social workers for falsifying records and strengthens requirements for ensuring that children under their supervision receive appropriate medical care. Lackey said Gabriel needed protection and that the responsible people and systems failed him. He also said he amended AB 2337 and worked with opponents in an effort to win its passage.
What Existing Law Already Covers
Separate from the vetoed bill, POST's materials describe an existing process for handling serious misconduct. POST's separate description of the decertification process says the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Division within POST can investigate allegations that could lead to decertification, according to POST's own materials.
