A California senate bill would allow non-citizens to serve as law enforcement officer, if approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor.
SB 960, proposed by Republican Sen. Nancy Skinner, would remove the provision that an individual must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States in order to become a police officer, FOX LA reports.
The bill only allows for legal immigrants to become police officers, a source familiar with the bill told Fox News Digital. However, the language in the bill itself does not specify that illegal immigrants are barred from doing so. The term "illegal immigrant" was unnecessary to include as other sections of federal law already barred illegal immigrants from becoming officers, the source continued.
"This bill only allows those who are living here legally and have the legal ability to work here -- through a visa, a green card -- to become peace officers. I just want to be clear on that," said Sen. Skinner at a March 22 Senate Public Safety Committee.
The bill received its second reading on Tuesday and is now onto its third reading.
