BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1140 (Bonta) - California Victim Compensation and Government
Claims Board
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|Version: August 18, 2015 |Policy Vote: PUB. S. 7 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: Yes |
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|Hearing Date: August 27, 2015 |Consultant: Jolie Onodera |
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*********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM - SUSPENSE FILE ***********
The following information is revised to reflect amendments
adopted by the committee on August 27, 2015
Bill
Summary: AB 1140 would revise numerous provisions of law
governing the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP),
as specified.
Fiscal
Impact:
CalVCP benefits : Significant increase in CalVCP payments
potentially in excess of $800,000 (Special Fund*) annually due
to expanded and revised eligibility criteria, most
significantly due to the changes in eligibility criteria
related to lack of cooperation with law enforcement.
CalVCP administration : One-time costs to the Board for
resource needs potentially in excess of $150,000 (Special
Fund*) for programming changes necessary to the automated
claims processing system. Ongoing increased administrative
AB 1140 (Bonta) Page 1 of
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workload for claims processing of increased applications.
Federal fund impact : Potential future increases in annual
federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant funds of 60 percent
reimbursement for state funds used to compensate victims to
the extent the annual cap on VOCA fund obligations is
adequately raised or removed. Additionally, VOCA grant awards
are based on state expenditures from prior years, so any
potential increases to the VOCA grant award would not be
received until 2018-19 at the earliest.
*Restitution Fund
Author
Amendments: Make the following changes:
Specify the Board shall not require an applicant to
submit documentation from the Internal Revenue Service, the
Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization, the
Social Security Administration, or the Employment
Development Department to determine eligibility for
compensation. Specify the Board may require and use
documentation from these entities to verify the amount of
compensation for income or support loss.
Require the initial application materials sent by the
Board to an applicant to be written in various specified
languages. If the applicant selects one of the languages
listed, requires the Board to send all subsequent
communications in that language.
Specify the Board shall not create or comply with a
regulation or policy that mandates a lower maximum
potential amount of an award of less than $7,500 for
funeral and burial expenses.
Require the Board to allow a service animal to accompany
and support a witness while testifying.
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Provide that a victim at a restitution or modification
hearing may testify by live, two-way audio and video
transmission if available at the court.
Delete the increase in the daily compensation rate for
wrongful convictions and make other technical changes.
Add Senators Hancock and Nielsen as principal coauthors.
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