SACRAMENTO— Legislation by Assemblymember Juan Alanis to address the growing backlog of seized narcotics in local law enforcement facilities passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee today and will now be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
With no uniform statewide system in place, law enforcement agencies across California have been left to manage increasing quantities of dangerous controlled substances on their own. The shutdown of California’s last in-state incineration facilities has only compounded the issue, forcing departments to rely on prolonged storage, transporting drugs across state lines, or pursue less reliable disposal methods.
AB 1612 responds to this gap by creating a clear process for local agencies to transfer controlled substances, once they are no longer needed as evidence, to the California Department of Justice for proper destruction. The measure is designed to bring consistency, improve safety protocols, and reduce the burden currently placed on local departments.
“Local agencies are being asked to hold onto large quantities of highly dangerous narcotics with no consistent direction on what to do with them,” said Assemblymember Juan Alanis. “That situation is becoming more difficult to manage and more dangerous over time. We need a system in place that removes that risk and gives law enforcement a reliable option.”
The risks associated with prolonged storage are particularly acute as seizures of fentanyl and other potent substances continue to rise. Even limited exposure can pose serious health threats, placing additional strain on officers and evidence management systems.
“This is not a theoretical problem, it is happening right now in evidence rooms across the state,” Alanis added. “The longer we wait to fix it, the greater the risk becomes. AB 1612 moves us toward a solution that is both practical and necessary.”
AB 1612 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee with bipartisan support and now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
