BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2051|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2051
Author: Cohn (D), et al
Amended: 8/24/06 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 5-4, 6/21/06
AYES: Ortiz, Alquist, Chesbro, Figueroa, Kuehl
NOES: Runner, Aanestad, Cox, Maldonado
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE : 3-2, 8/8/06
AYES: Dunn, Escutia, Kuehl
NOES: Morrow, Harman
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-5, 8/23/06
AYES: Murray, Alarcon, Alquist, Escutia, Florez, Ortiz,
Romero, Torlakson
NOES: Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Poochigian
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 49-29, 05/31/06 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Domestic violence
SOURCE : Equality California
DIGEST : This bill expands education and training
requirements to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender domestic violence issues.
ANALYSIS :
CONTINUED
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Existing law:
1.Allows two persons, who are either of the same sex, or
persons of opposite sexes where one or both is over 62,
to become domestic partners by filing a declaration with
the Secretary of State (SOS). Requires the SOS, by
regulation, to establish and charge fees to registrants
based on the actual costs, currently set at $10, and to
return a certificate of registration to registered
domestic partners.
2.Requires the California Department of Health Services
(DHS) to administer grants to support battered women's
shelters to provide emergency shelter for women and their
children escaping family violence. Creates, until
January 1, 2010, an advisory council to consult with DHS
regarding the funding program, consisting of, among
others, domestic violence (DV) advocates, battered women
service providers and law enforcement.
3.Requires DHS to distribute brochures that contain
DV-related information to county clerks who shall provide
the brochures to marriage license applicants.
4.Requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training (POST) to implement a training program on the
handling of DV complaints for law enforcement officers in
California and to consult with various groups on
development of the program.
5.Requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to
provide assistance to local DV centers through a grant
program, to develop and disseminate information and
materials relating to DV, and to conduct statewide
training workshops on DV.
This bill:
1.Establishes a $23 fee to be charged to same sex persons
filing domestic partner registrations in order to support
the an on-going mini-grant program to promote healthy,
non-violent relationships in the LGBT community.
Establishes the Equality in Prevention and Services
Domestic Abuse Fund to be administered by OES and into
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which the fee shall be deposited.
2.Requires the advisory council established to consult with
DHS regarding the Maternal and Child Health Branch (MCAH)
grants to battered women's shelters to include
individuals with a background and expertise in LGBT DV.
3.Requires POST to add representation from the LGBT
community to the board that oversees design of the
training program requirements for law enforcement
officers.
4.Requires that the OES DV Advisory Council have at least
one representative of DV service providers serving the
LGBT community.
5.Requires OES to develop a mini-grant program to
non-profit organizations that provide specified DV
programs and services to the LGBT community, outlines the
grant funding and distribution process, and establishes a
gender-neutral definition of DV for the purposes of the
mini-grant program.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Fund
Training curriculum/ up to $100up to $100-$120
ongoing Special*
Material/support
Mini-grants $20 $20 unknown
Special*
* Equity in Prevention and Services for Domestic Abuse Fund
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/24/06)
Equality California (source)
Secretary of State
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State Controller Steve Westly
California Teachers Association
City of West Hollywood
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Community United Against Violence
Family Law Section of the State Bar of California
Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast
San Diego LGBT Community Center
State Public Affairs Committee of the Junior Leagues of
California
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/24/06)
California Alliance for Families and Children
California Parents United, Inc.
California State University, Long Beach
Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women
Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission (Canada)
Grant Joint Union High School Domestic Violence Batterer's
Treatment
Program
Peace Creations
Simon Fraser University, Canada
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters state that this bill
will support a number of initiatives to address the
problems of DV among same-sex partners, and will provide
educational brochures specific to LGBT DV, grants to
support organizations that serve LGBT DV victims, and LGBT
DV training to law enforcement and DV service providers.
This bill takes the first critical steps to implement
efforts to increase public knowledge about LGBT DV victims
and explore ways to better serve them.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : Opponents state that men
comprise a large number of DV victims, and that research
shows that violence in intimate relationships is reciprocal
and not unilateral violence against women. By focusing
uniquely on female victims, the bill is expressly
discriminatory against men. These organizations suggest
amending the bill so as to assure that benefits and
services are provided to all DV victims, including
heterosexual males.
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ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Arambula, Baca, Bass, Berg, Bermudez, Calderon,
Canciamilla, Chan, Chavez, Chu, Cohn, Coto, De La Torre,
Dymally, Evans, Frommer, Garcia, Goldberg, Hancock,
Jerome Horton, Jones, Karnette, Klehs, Koretz, Laird,
Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Liu, Matthews, Montanez,
Mullin, Nation, Nava, Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Parra,
Pavley, Ridley-Thomas, Ruskin, Saldana, Salinas, Torrico,
Umberg, Vargas, Wolk, Yee, Nunez
NOES: Aghazarian, Benoit, Bogh, Cogdill, Daucher, DeVore,
Harman, Haynes, Shirley Horton, Houston, Huff, Keene, La
Malfa, La Suer, Leslie, Maze, McCarthy, Mountjoy,
Nakanishi, Niello, Plescia, Richman, Sharon Runner,
Spitzer, Strickland, Tran, Villines, Walters, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Blakeslee, Emmerson
CTW:nl 9/24/06 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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