Crimes: public transportation providers.

Assembly Member Wilson's proposal to modify California's public transportation safety laws would expand criminal penalties for battery against transit workers while creating a new system of court-ordered transit access restrictions. The legislation broadens existing battery provisions to protect all public transportation provider employees and contractors, maintaining current penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in jail, or state prison terms of 16 months to three years if the victim is injured.

The bill establishes a framework for courts to issue prohibition orders barring individuals convicted of transit-related offenses from accessing public transportation properties for up to 18 months. These orders require court hearings within 30 days, where prosecutors must demonstrate an ongoing public safety threat. Violation of a prohibition order would constitute a misdemeanor offense. Transit agencies must maintain records of these orders and conduct periodic reviews of their implementation.

The legislation also expands the definition of protected transit-related property to include facilities, ferries, and vehicles managed through interagency agreements. It authorizes both law enforcement and specially trained transit enforcement officers to enforce trespassing violations, with transit officers permitted to detain violators until police arrive. The bill requires transit agencies to post clear signage about access restrictions while preserving exceptions for official duties and labor-related activities.