Police Department
www.santa-ana.org/pd
Item # 24
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
May 20, 2025
TOPIC: Second Reading of an Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provisions) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Prohibiting The Sale or Distribution of Nitrous Oxide
AGENDA TITLE
Second Reading of an Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provisions) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Prohibiting the Sale or Distribution of Nitrous Oxide
First reading conducted at the May 6, 2025 City Council meeting and approved by vote of 7-0. Legal notice published in the OC Reporter on May 9, 2025.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Conduct a second reading and adopt an Ordinance adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provisions) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code prohibiting the sale or distribution of Nitrous Oxide:
ORDINANCE NO. NS-3079 entitled AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADDING ARTICLE XIV TO CHAPTER 10 OF THE SANTA ANA
MUNICIPAL CODE (CRIMES AND MISCELLANEOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT
PROVISIONS) PROHIBITING THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF NITROUS OXIDE [Includes determination that the ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA and Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect change in the environment and is not a “project” as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines as well as pursuant to the “common sense” exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)]
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
At the May 6, 2025 meeting, the City Council conducted a first reading of an ordinance adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement
Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provisions) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Prohibiting The Sale or Distribution of Nitrous Oxide
May 20, 2025
5 0
3 6
Provisions) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code prohibiting the sale or distribution of nitrous oxide in the City. The ordinance, approved 7:0, requires a second reading.
The following changes to the ordinance were made by the City Council:
1) An amendment was made to include a public health campaign to be initiated by the City to raise community awareness regarding the health dangers of Nitrous Oxide abuse, its appearance and common delivery methods for identification purposes, and to educate the public of the prohibitions, requirements, and penalties. 2) An amendment was made to require the City to collect and record all citation and arrest data to monitor any disparities, if any, in the enforcement of this ordinance, to include demographic data.
A copy of the ordinance for second reading is attached to this report as Exhibit 1.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Ordinance for Second Reading
Submitted By: Robert Rodriguez, Police Chief
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager