Three important wrongful convictions bills has passed the state Senate and now been cleared by the Assembly Public Safety Committee in California:

One bill, aimed at reducing the number of false confessions, would mandate electronic recording of interrogations of suspects in homicides and violent felonies who are in police custody. Another would require corroborating evidence for the testimony of jailhouse informants, who have been shown to lie sometimes to receive reduced sentences or other benefits. A third bill calls on the California attorney general, in consultation with other key stakeholders in the criminal justice system, to develop new guidelines for lineups presented to eyewitnesses to see if they can identify suspects.

All three are desperately needed. Releasing the innocent imprisoned makes it easier to find the guilty perpetrator. So, will Gov. Schwarzenegger come up with some new excuse to veto the bills if they pass, or will he finally see the light of day and sign them into law?

Similar measures passed both houses last year, but were vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Since then, the legislation has been modified to address the governor's concerns, said Gerald Uelmen, a Santa Clara University law professor who is executive director of the justice reform commission.