California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a measure aimed at deterring shootings by police.
Newsom says the law he approved Monday will reduce the number of lives lost and begin to heal communities.
The measure by Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber of San Diego will change California's existing deadly force standards to require that deadly force may only be used when necessary. The Democratic governor says it will encourage law enforcement to try de-escalation techniques such as verbal persuasion and other crisis intervention methods.
It was spurred by last year's fatal shooting of Stephon Clark, whose death sparked major protests in the state capital and reverberated nationwide.
The measure passed with bipartisan support after major police organizations won concessions.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.