California may reform how police dogs are used, with regulations extending to arrest procedures, public protests, and mental health situations, according to an NBC San Diego article.

AB 2042 and AB 3241 recently passed the California State Assembly and are now under discussion in state Senate committees. Both bills call for the California police training organization (POST) to develop standards, according to the article.

One bill, backed by a policy lobbying group and unions, would also require police agencies to track and publish how they use dogs, the article reports.

The second bill initially treated K-9 use as equivalent to a lethal weapon, but police chiefs objected, and the bill has since been changed. Now, the bill calls for establishing guidelines on using dogs to help make an arrest “proportionally,” based on the severity of the suspected offense.

The article reports the bill also has some new language about minimizing harm to bystanders and making sure dog handlers have tools on them to help release a bite.

The two bills, which may eventually merge into one, are now tied together, and neither can pass without the other, NBC San Diego reported.

The Senate rules committee must approve both bills before they can be voted on again. Additional changes would require approval before the bills land on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. The deadline for the legislature to accomplish that is Aug. 30, according to the article.