Amended in Senate August 2, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 14, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 17, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2177

Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

February 18, 2016

An act to add Section 13835.9 to the Penal Code, relating to victims of crime.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2177, as amended, Maienschein. Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory Committee.

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to make available various funds to programs that provide supportive services to the victims of crime.

This bill would begin delete establish end delete begin insert establish, within the office, end insert the ​Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory Committee, composed of 17 specified members who are appointed by the Governor, the begin delete President pro Tempore of the Senate, end delete begin insert Senate Committee on Rules, end insert and the Speaker of the Assembly, as specified. The bill would establish initial terms of 2 years for members of the committee, require the committee to meet twice a year, and prohibit compensation for members, except for a per diem payment to members who have been a victim of a crime. The bill would require the office to seek the recommendation of the committee regarding the distribution of funds received by the state pursuant to the federal Victims of Crime Act, also known as VOCA, before making a distribution, of any kind, of those funds. The bill would specifically require the committee to comply with begin insert the end insert Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 13835.9 is added to the Penal Code, to
read:

13835.9.  

(a) The Office of Emergency Services shall seek the
recommendation of the ​Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory
Committee, established by this section, regarding the distribution
of funds received by the state pursuant to the federal Victims of
Crime Act, also known as VOCA, before making a distribution,
of any kind, of those funds.

(b) The Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory Committee is
hereby established within the Office of Emergency Services and
shall be composed of the following 17 members:

(1) One member who represents law enforcement. The Governor
shall appoint this member.

(2) Eight members who have been a victim of a crime. The
Governor shall appoint four of these members, and begin delete the President
pro Tempore of end delete the Senate begin insert Committee on Rules end insert and the Speaker
of the Assembly shall each appoint two members.

(3) Eight members who represent the interests of organizations
that specialize in providing services to the victims of crime. The
Governor shall appoint four of these members, and begin delete the President
pro Tempore of end delete the Senate begin insert Committee on Rules end insert and the Speaker
of the Assembly shall each appoint two members.

(c) (1) The initial terms of membership on the committee shall
be two years. Members are eligible to be reappointed twice after
an initial term.

(2) The committee shall elect a chairperson from its membership.

(3) The members shall serve without compensation, except that
members appointed pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b)
shall receive a per diem payment.

(4) The committee shall meet twice a year. The committee shall
make a recommendation on the distribution of funds at one meeting
and shall provide input on the efficacy of programs that have been
funded at the other meeting.

(5) The committee shall comply with the Bagley-Keene Open
Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of
Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
Code).