CA AB1985

Clarifies that disability protections under hate crime law apply regardless of whether the disability is temporary, permanent, congenital, or acquired by heredity, accident, injury, advanced age, or illness.

Requires local law enforcement agencies that update or adopt hate crime policies to include definitions from Sections 422.55 and 422.56, the POST model policy framework, and information regarding bias motivation.

Mandates that hate crime policies include specific guidance for officers recognizing disability-bias crimes, addressing factors such as perpetrator perception of victim vulnerability and targeting patterns that indicate disability-based bias.

Requires policies to address underreporting of hate crimes, including the disproportionate underreporting of anti-disability and anti-gender hate crimes, and establish plans to remedy this underreporting.

Permits local law enforcement agencies to incorporate provisions from model hate crime policies developed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police that are relevant to California and consistent with state law.