The lower house of California's Legislature unanimously passed a bill on aimed at helping undocumented immigrants, who have become the victims of violent crime and are applying for so-called U visas, to be allowed to temporarily remain in the United States.

The legislation, jointly introduced by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins and Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, both Democrats, attempts to standardize the treatment of such immigrants by police forces across the state, which often need to verify a victim's cooperation in order for him or her to become eligible for the non-immigrant visa, Reuters reported.

"Every time a criminal goes free because the victim fears deportation and the police, we are all a little less safe," De León said in a statement. "Fear and mistrust are obstacles to the administration of justice."

But Reuters said it had discovered "vast geographic disparities in law enforcement approaches to this visa" in an investigation the newswire conducted last year.

"It should not matter where you became the victim of domestic violence to qualify for a U visa," Atkins argued in a statement. "This bill makes it clear that all entities that can certify that a victim was helpful must do so if the victim has suffered due to one of the qualifying crimes and was helpful or is expected to be helpful to the prosecution during the investigation."

In the Assembly, 27 Republicans supported the "Immigrant Victims of Crime Equity Act," along with 51 Democrats. A representative for Gov. Jerry Brown had declined to comment on whether Brown would sign it.

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore told the San Diego Union-Tribune that his department works with all victims of crime and honors the provisions of the U visa program. He called the bill "a good piece of legislation" and predicted that it would garner the Democratic governor's approval.

"It lends itself to equal enforcement throughout the state, from sheriff's departments to police departments," Gore said. "I think that's the proper way to address criminal justice. I think this law will bring consistency to the way these certifications are handled for U visas amongst local law enforcement."