Law enforcement: settlement agreements.

Assembly Member Bryan's legislation prohibits law enforcement agencies from entering agreements that conceal officer misconduct records while expanding public access to disciplinary documentation. The bill amends California's Penal Code to void any settlement provisions requiring agencies to destroy, remove, or restrict disclosure of misconduct investigation materials.

The measure adds settlement agreements that obscure misconduct to the categories of law enforcement records that must be publicly released under existing transparency laws. It explicitly bars agencies from making deals that would halt misconduct investigations, manipulate findings, or limit information sharing about allegations against officers.

The legislation requires law enforcement employers to file detailed separation reports with the state's police standards commission within 10 days when officers leave their positions. These affidavits must specify whether the separation involved resolving any criminal, civil or administrative investigations. Officers may submit their own account of the circumstances to the commission.

To prevent circumvention of these requirements, the bill declares any agreement provisions attempting to conceal misconduct records void as contrary to public policy. The measure maintains current protections for sensitive information like witness identities while establishing that settlement deals cannot override statutory disclosure mandates or reporting obligations to oversight bodies.