California passed a law on Tuesday banning local, state, and federal law enforcement officers from using electric-shock gloves, following a recent federal contract for the devices. The California electric shock glove ban takes effect next year and will remain in place until 2030.

Ban details and federal contract

The legislation prohibits officers from utilizing the devices, which are designed to gain compliance from combative individuals. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement moved to equip its officers with these gloves just weeks before the state enacted the prohibition. Last month, the federal agency awarded a nearly $17m contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of the equipment. Democratic California assembly member LaShae Sharp-Collins introduced the legislation and cited the federal plan to deploy the equipment as the primary catalyst for the state action.

Legislative intent and safety review

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure and criticized the federal administration priorities.

Newsom stated the law aims to improve oversight of immigration enforcement and strengthen transparency. The legislation requires the state justice department to study the gloves' safety and report to lawmakers by 2029. Sharp-Collins introduced the bill to pause use of the devices, citing public fear and a 2024 Kentucky case where a family alleged a man died after being shocked dozens of times in custody,,,.

Broader state actions and criticism

The legislation represents a broader pushback by Democratic-led states against Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts since he took office last year. California lawmakers passed at least two dozen bills this year to fortify immigrants’ rights and restrict cooperation with federal agents. Nationwide, 17 Democratic-led states passed over 100 pro-immigrant bills, mostly to limit cooperation with federal agents. State senator Scott Wiener defended the measures as necessary tools to stand up for communities facing federal actions.

Critics and legal experts have raised concerns about the state authority and the practical impact on officers:

• •Sacramento sheriff Jim Cooper criticized the prohibition, stating the gloves are valid non-lethal tools and arguing it makes no sense to ban them. He expressed frustration with the state legislature approach of banning federal actions, noting it makes their job harder.
• •Kevin Johnson, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis School of Law, analyzed the legal standing of the bans. He argued the state laws likely conflict with the supremacy clause of the US constitution because the state has limited power to dictate how federal officers are armed.

Additionally, a federal judge earlier this year blocked the state first-in-the-nation law barring federal officers from wearing face coverings. The previous ban applied to local and federal law enforcement but exempted state officers. Lawmakers subsequently passed a new bill this year to make the face covering ban apply to all officers, which Newsom signed.

The state justice department is required to study the safety of the gloves and report its findings to lawmakers by 2029.