BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2177
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2177 (Maienschein) - As Amended April 14, 2016
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|Policy |Public Safety |Vote:|7 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill stablishes the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Funding
Advisory Committee (Committee) to assist the Office of Emergency
Services (OES) in distributing VOCA funds. The Committee will
be comprised of 17 member, representing various groups; 9 to be
appointed by the Governor, 4 by the Senate Pro Tempore, and 4 by
the Speake of the Assembly. The Committee is required to meet
twice a year.
FISCAL EFFECT:
AB 2177
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Minor cost of up to $17,000 for 17 members of the committee to
attend 2 meetings per year, at and an average cost of $500 for
travel and per diem per member.
COMMENTS:
Background/Purpose. OES is primarily responsible for assuring
the state's readiness to respond to and recover from natural and
man-made emergencies. In addition, OES administers certain grant
programs, including most of the state's victim grant programs.
One of the grant programs administered by Cal OES is the federal
VOCA Formula Grant Program. The VOCA grant program provides
funding to states to support crime victim assistance programs to
do the following: 1) respond to the emotional and physical
needs of crime victims, 2) help primary and secondary victims of
crime stabilize their lives after a victimization, 3) help
victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice
system, and 4) provide victims of crime with a measure of safety
and security.
While OES receives federal VOCA funds yearly, in the Fiscal Year
2015 Budget, OES received a significantly increased award over
recent annual awards over $230 million.
This bill creates an advisory committee to give input on how
those funds should be disbursed. According to the author, AB
2177 will allow crime victims and victim's services providers to
give input on how that discretionary spending should be awarded.
Analysis Prepared by:Pedro Reyes / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 2177
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