Intoxicated drivers, corporate polluters among targets of new laws

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - New laws sponsored by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will give prosecutors the tools to fully investigate post-conviction claims of factual innocence and strengthen penalties for intoxicated drivers, labor traffickers and large-scale corporate polluters, officials announced today.   

A fifth criminal justice bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom protects animals rescued in cruelty and neglect cases from crowded shelters.   

"District attorneys are only as strong as the laws we enforce,'' District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. "The new laws sponsored by my office will make a tangible difference in public safety, deterring crime and protecting victims across the state. These laws illustrate the breadth of the Office's work in investigating wrongful conviction claims and protecting workers, animals, the environment and victims of drunk drivers."  

The bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Hochman's office and signed into law during California's 2025-2026 legislative session were:   

-- AB 1583, holds labor traffickers and employers who commit wage theft across county lines accountable, ensures offenders can be prosecuted where victims live and work;
   -- AB 2310, strengthens penalties for large-scale corporate polluters, criminalizes transportation of toxic waste before it is illegally dumped, expands definition of toxic debris, holds property owners accountable for dumping, and expands the list of governmental agencies that can declare dumped material to be a public health hazard, nuisance or fire hazard;
   -- AB 2344, protects animals rescued in cruelty and neglect cases from crowded shelters and closes a loophole in existing law covering animals seized in a search;
   -- SB 907, ensures that drivers whose DUI charges are pleaded down to a lesser or different charge are warned of the serious consequences of driving while impaired, which include being charged with second-degree murder if they drive again while intoxicated and kill someone, and increases penalties for a hit-and-run causing death or injury; and
   -- SB 1211, improves access to justice for individuals wrongfully convicted of a crime and strengthens investigations into the true offender.   

"I thank Governor Newsom, our legislative partners and bill co-sponsors for securing real change for Californians,'' Hochman said. "I also want to recognize the District Attorney's Office's legislative advocates, Deputy District Attorneys Daniel Felizzatto and Tamar Tokat, for their steadfast dedication to strengthening public safety laws and advocating for our communities."