California bill barring certain police holds heads to Newsom's desk

Details: The bill was introduced by Democratic Assembly member Mike Gipson, a former police officer, and bars techniques that can cause substantial risk of positional asphyxia, which occurs when someone cannot breathe due to the positioning of their body.

• Such holds can compress people's airways, and often involve restraining suspects face down and pressing down on their backs.
• It passed the state Assembly in a 50-15 vote on Thursday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) desk.

What they're saying: Gipson tweeted "Justice for #AngeloQuinto!" after the bill passed and expressed gratitude for the Quinto family.

The other side: The bill has faced pushback from the California State Sheriffs' Association, which called the provision too broad, per AP.

Many law enforcement agencies have already restricted use of such holds, according to AP. Nevada enacted a similar ban last year.

The big picture: Asian American civil rights groups have pushed for the bill's passage for months, pressing for greater transparency and police accountability.

• The bill also gained attention after Alameda police pinned down Mario Gonzalez for more than five minutes in April, leading to his death.
• Such tactics became the center of renewed controversy after a veteran forensic pathologist testified during Derek Chauvin's trial that the position of Floyd's body appeared to show he could not get enough oxygen before he died, and that "there's no evidence to suggest that he would have died that night except for the interactions with law enforcement."