BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                            Senator Kevin de Le�n, Chair


          SB 544 (DeSaulnier) - Violence prevention.
          
          Amended: April 4, 2013          Policy Vote: Public Safety 7-0
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: No
          Hearing Date: May 23, 2013      Consultant: Brendan McCarthy
          
          SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
          
          
          Bill Summary: SB 544 would create a new California Violence  
          Prevention Authority within the Department of Public Health. The  
          bill would require the new Authority to take certain actions,  
          such as coordinating violence prevention activities with other  
          state agencies and distributing grant funds.

          Fiscal Impact: 
              One-time costs of $370,000 for the Department of Public  
              Health to develop a strategic plan, coordinate with other  
              state agencies, and convene an advisory committee (General  
              Fund).

              Ongoing administrative costs of $625,000 per year to  
              coordinate with other state agencies, support the advisory  
              committee, and evaluate programs (General Fund).

              Unknown ongoing costs to provide grants to local and  
              statewide organizations (General Fund).

          Background: Under current law, the state operates a variety of  
          programs intended to reduce violence in the state. 

          Current state programs include:
              The Board of State and Community Corrections, which was  
              created to promote state and local partnerships in  
              California's adult and juvenile justice system. 
              The Carl Washington School Safety and Violence Prevention  
              Act, through which schools may be eligible for funding for  
              activities to reduce violence amongst students. 
              The California Gang, Crime and Violence Prevention  
              Partnership Program within the Department of Justice which  
              seeks to reduce gang-related violence in the state.
              The Violence Prevention Unit within the Department of  








          SB 544 (DeSaulnier)
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              Public Health, which provides grants to local community  
              groups to prevent rape and domestic violence. This program  
              also coordinates policy with other state programs developed  
              to reduce violence.

          Proposed Law: SB 544 would create a new California Violence  
          Prevention Authority within the Department of Public Health. 

          The Authority would be required to:
              Develop a statewide violence prevention plan,
              Coordinate statewide violence prevention efforts,
              Seek funding for violence prevention efforts,
              Administer grants to local and statewide entities,
              Provide training and technical assistance to help community  
              organizations build violence prevention capacity.

          The bill would create an advisory board chaired by the Attorney  
          General, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the  
          Director of Public Health. Advisory board members would include  
          specified other state officials.

          Staff Comments: As noted above, there are several existing state  
          programs with responsibilities similar to those proposed in this  
          bill.

          The Department of Public Health indicates that it is not aware  
          of potential funding sources to support the grant program  
          established in the bill, other than existing federal  
          anti-violence funds which are distributed through the  
          Department's existing grant programs.

          Proposed author's amendments: would make operation of the  
          program contingent on funding.