State Senate advances bill limiting crowd-control weapons

The California Senate Public Safety Committee passed Senate Bill 937, which aims to restrict law enforcement’s use of "less-lethal" weapons like flash bangs and explosive breaching devices for crowd control.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) first introduced SB 937 at a press conference in February. Now that SB 937 has passed its first committee review, it heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Crowd control equipment has become increasingly militarized in recent years, threatening the safety of citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest,” Gonzalez said during a late March committee hearing. She added, “and unfortunately, the excessive use of force is a problem at all levels of law enforcement.”

The committee passed the bill with a 5-1 vote on March 24. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murietta), the only Republican on the committee, voted no.

The bill will now be reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee, which analyzes the fiscal impact bills will have on the state. After that review, it will go to the Senate floor for a final vote. 

SB 937 is considered high profile as 10 organizations have taken a formal stance on it, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. The typical range of organizations that take a stance on bills is 0-6, the database shows.

Organizations in support include the American Civil Liberties Union and Initiate Justice, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to ending incarceration. The California State Sheriffs Association (CSSA) and the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), a powerful player in state politics, oppose the bill.

The near-unanimous vote is notable given PORAC’s opposition. The organization has a 54.4% success rate in getting bills passed since 2015, according to Digital Democracy. The database also shows Gonzalez, the bill author, votes in alignment with PORAC just over 70% of the time.

PORAC did not reply to a request for comment at time of publication.

The reality of less-lethal weapons

Gonzalez has referenced unnecessary “military-style weapons” including flash bang grenades and explosive breaching devices being used for crowd control purposes, like dispersing protests.

Flash bangs are classified as less-lethal but are military-grade explosive projectiles that have the potential to cause life-long injuries. Flash bangs also cause extremely bright flashes of light and emit a loud auditory blast that could impact the vision and hearing of those nearby.

California has already restricted use of other less-lethal weapons, including tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds. SB 937 would add similar restrictions on flash bangs and require officers to undergo additional training on their use. 

The bill will prohibit flash bangs and explosive breaching devices for immigration enforcement as well as prohibit the use of these types of devices near schools, parks and other areas where children could be present.

Corey Salzillo, a lobbyist for the CSSA said during the March 24 hearing that the bill text “at best is vague,” and that it does not account for the unique situations in which officers are faced with deploying crowd control measures.

“We think law enforcement practitioners and regulators are better positioned to set out guidelines through policies that steer practices, and recognize the fluidity of situations that are prone to rapid evolution,” Salzillo said. “The use of force is already extensively regulated by statute and case law.”

Excessive force, aided by these types of weapons, has become increasingly present during protests and immigration enforcement. During a protest in L.A. in June 2025, Sergio Espejo, 33, was hit by a flashbang that fragmented on impact and caused him to lose a finger; Espejo is now suing the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. 

The L.A. Press Club filed a lawsuit against Noem and DHS for its use of excessive force during the June L.A. protests that resulted in injuries to multiple journalists. The suit claims federal officers specifically targeted members of the press.

“In the last year, specifically, federal authorities have relied on egregious tactics for immigration enforcement, stoking fear and distrust in the communities that I represent,” Gonzalez said during the hearing.

The senator, also the chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus, spoke about an incident in Huntington Park last summer. Border patrol agents used an explosive device to blow the door and windows off a home — a mother and her two young children were inside and posed no threat to the officers.

“This is not a radical ask. It is the bare minimum that our children and neighborhoods deserve,” said Shana England, vice president of policy and advocacy at the California Community Foundation, a sponsor of the bill. “We oppose the militarization of our communities and support policies that prioritize the safety of residents. Not because we oppose lawful enforcement, but because we know that more violence, injured children and terrorized families don't make any of us safer.”