BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 503| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 503 Author: Furutani (D) Amended: 6/23/09 in Senate Vote: 21 SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 8-1, 6/10/09 AYES: Strickland, Cedillo, Cox, DeSaulnier, Leno, Maldonado, Negrete McLeod, Wolk NOES: Aanestad NO VOTE RECORDED: Alquist, Pavley SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 11-0, 7/13/09 AYES: Kehoe, Cox, Corbett, Denham, Leno, Price, Runner, Walters, Wolk, Wyland, Yee NO VOTE RECORDED: Hancock, Oropeza ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 80-0, 5/11/09 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Battered womens shelters: grant program SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill extends the sunset date for the Domestic Violence Advisory Council which advises the Domestic Violence Program within the Department of Public Health to January 1, 2015. ANALYSIS : Existing law: CONTINUED AB 503 Page 2 1. Establishes the Battered Women's Shelter Program, now known as the Domestic Violence Program, within the Maternal and Child Health Branch of the Department of Public Health, now known as the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Division, to administer grants to battered women's shelters for comprehensive shelter-based services. These services include emergency shelter for victims and their children escaping violent family situations; transitional housing programs which may include case management, counseling, job training and placement, support groups, and classes in parenting and family budgeting; advocacy and representation to pursue appropriate legal options; and other support services for victims and their children. 2. Establishes until January 1, 2010, the Domestic Violence Advisory Council (Council), which the Department of Public Health (DPH) is required to consult with in implementing the Domestic Violence Program. 3. Requires the Council membership to include domestic violence advocates; battered women service providers; representatives of law enforcement, women's organizations, and other groups involved with domestic violence; and a service provider serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. 4. Specifies that the Council is comprised of seven members appointed by the Governor, three members each appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee, and two non-voting ex-officio members who are members of the Legislature. This bill extends the sunset date for the Council which advises the Domestic Violence Program within DPH to January 1, 2015. This bill requires DPH to consult with the California Emergency Management Agency to consider the consolidation of their respective domestic violence programs and to report the conclusions to the Legislature by June 30, 2011. Background AB 503 Page 3 Domestic violence most often refers to intimate partner violence. It includes violence between spouses, individuals in dating relationships, and former partners or spouses, and can occur inside or outside the home. Domestic violence often involves a pattern of coercive behavior that includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse. The California Penal Code defines abuse as "intentionally or recklessly causing or attempting to cause bodily injury, or placing another person in reasonable apprehension of imminent, serious bodily injury to himself, herself or another." According to the Department of Justice, law enforcement received 174,649 domestic violence calls in 2007; 119 murders were the result of intimate partner violence, 101 women were killed by their husbands, ex-husbands or boyfriends, and 18 men were killed by their wives, ex-wives or girlfriends. As of April 2008, there were 246,444 domestic violence related orders (emergency protective orders, temporary restraining orders, orders after hearing, other domestic violence orders, or criminal protective orders) on file with the department. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No According to the Senate Appropriations Committee: Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund Sunset extension unknown, but likely under $50 ongoing General Report consolidation unknown, but likely minor and absorbable General conclusions SUPPORT : (Verified 7/14/09) Alternatives to Domestic Violence AB 503 Page 4 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO Asian Women's Shelter Break the Cycle Community Service Program Victim Assistance Programs Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District, Long Beach Eastman Hope Healthy Start House of Ruth Human Options Legal Aid Society of Orange County Mothers of Lost Children Peace Over Violence Rainbow Services South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency Sojourn Services for Battered Women and Their Children ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters state that domestic violence statistics highlight the continuing need for emergency shelters, housing, legal advocacy, and support services for victims of domestic violence. Supporters further state that this bill extends important provisions of the Battered Women Protection Act which requires the Domestic Violence Program to consult with the Council regarding the distribution of grants. Supporters contend that members of the Council are leaders and experts in the domestic violence field, and that by extending the Council, this bill will ensure strong leadership in providing funding to these programs. ASSEMBLY FLOOR : AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, DeVore, Duvall, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino, Price, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Audra AB 503 Page 5 Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, Bass CTW:mw 7/14/09 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END ****