BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 1802


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          Date of Hearing:  April 6, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          1802 (Chávez) - As Introduced February 8, 2016


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill expands the membership of the Victims Compensation and  
          Government Claims Board (board), from three to five members, to  
          include a victims' rights advocate and a provider of victims'  
          health services.  








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          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Minor absorbable costs to the board to provide $50 per day for  
          attendance at meetings and necessary travel expenses to board  
          members who are not state officers.


          COMMENTS:


          1)Background.  Current law authorizes the board, composed of the  
            Secretary of Government Operations or his or her designee, the  
            Controller, and a third member to be appointed by the  
            Governor, to reimburse victims of crimes for pecuniary loss  
            for specified types of losses, including medical expenses,  
            mental-health counseling, loss of income or loss of support,  
            and installing or increasing residential security.  Current  
            law also provides that if the board's third member is not a  
            state officer acting ex officio, that person shall be  
            compensated $50 per day of actual attendance at board  
            meetings, not to exceed eight meetings per month. 

          2)Purpose.  According to the author, ""The Governor's proposal  
            to reorganize the VCGCB [board] to primarily handle victims  
            programs is a step in the right direction.  This bill will  
            help ensure that the composition of the board is best suited  
            to take the lead as the primary administer of victims  
            programs."
            This bill partially adopts the recommendations of the LAO by  
            adding to the membership of the board a victims' advocate and  
            a victims' services provider in the medical or mental-health  
            field.
              
          3)Opposition:  According to California Civil Liberties Advocacy,  
            "? the CCLA is concerned about the following language:  









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          'One member who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure  
            of, the Governor and an expert in the rights of crime victims  
            or a representative of a recognized organization that  
            advocates for the rights of crime victims.'

          The CCLA strongly encourages the author to amend the bill to  
            define the qualifications of an 'expert' and to delete the  
            language allowing the Governor to appoint a representative of  
            a crime victims organization."

          4)Prior Legislation: 

             a)   AB 1317(Frazier), Chapter 352, Statutes of 2013, made  
               conforming name changes to properly reflect the assignment  
               and reorganization of the functions of state government  
               among newly-established executive entities, including for  
               membership on the board.  

             b)   AB 702 (Jackson), Chapter 84, Statutes of 2003,  
               consolidated the board under the jurisdiction of the State  
               Consumer Services Agency and allowed the Secretary of the  
               State Consumer Services Agency or his or her designee to  
               serve on the board.

          


          


             
          1)Analysis Prepared by:Pedro Reyes / APPR. / (916) 319-2081















                                                                    AB 1802


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