The Arizona Legislature is considering a bill which allows the spouse of a peace officer to request his or her personal information remain confidential. Rep. Sonny Borrelli is sponsoring HB 2145.
“If a criminal with a grudge against a peace officer wants to find out where that officer lives, he can look up where the officer’s spouse lives,” Borrelli said. “As much as we can, we want to give the families of peace officers the protection they deserve.”
HB 2145, sponsored by Rep. Borrelli, helps protect the families of peace officers and makes it harder for criminals who would seek to locate a peace officer, Borrelli added.
In addition to keeping a home address confidential, the legislation allows a spouse to keep his or her job and job duties confidential. It also requires the spouse be notified if the confidentiality order is going to expire within six months and contains an emergency clause so the bill will become immediately effective upon signature of the governor.
HB 2145 was passed unanimously by the Public Safety, Military and Regulatory Affairs committee, passed unanimously on Third Read in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate.
Supporters of the legislation include the Arizona Police Association, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board and Arizona Association of Counties.