BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2177
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2177 (Maienschein)
As Amended April 14, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Public Safety |7-0 |Jones-Sawyer, | |
| | |Melendez, Lackey, | |
| | |Lopez, Low, Quirk, | |
| | |Santiago | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Roger | |
| | |Hernández, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Obernolte, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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AB 2177
Page 2
SUMMARY: Establishes the Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory
Committee to assist the Office of Emergency Services (OES) in
distributing federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Establishes the Victims of Crime Act Funding Advisory
Committee (advisory committee).
2)Requires OES to seek the recommendation of the advisory
committee regarding the distribution of federal VOCA funds
received by the state before making a distribution of any kind
of those funds.
3)Provides that the advisory committee shall be comprised of the
following 17 members:
a) One law enforcement representative to be appointed by
the Governor;
b) Eight crime victims (four appointed by the Governor, and
two each by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the Assembly); and,
c) Eight representatives from victims' services
organizations (four appointed by the Governor, and two each
by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker
of the Assembly).
4)States that the initial terms of membership on the advisory
committee is two years, and that members are eligible to be
reappointed twice.
5)Requires the advisory committee to select a chairperson from
its membership.
6)States that the members shall serve without compensation,
except that members who are crime victims shall receive per
AB 2177
Page 3
diem.
7)Requires the advisory committee to meet twice a year, as
specified.
8)Requires the advisory committee to comply with the
Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the OES.
2)Transferred the responsibilities of the now-defunct Office of
Criminal Justice Planning to the OES.
3)Authorizes OES to expend funds for local domestic violence
programs, subject to availability.
4)Establishes a Comprehensive Statewide Domestic Violence
Program administered by the OES in order to provide financial
and technical assistance to local domestic violence service
providers.
5)Requires OES to consult with an advisory council in
implementing the program.
6)Establishes an appointed Domestic Violence Advisory Council
consisting of "experts in the provision of either direct or
intervention services to victims of domestic violence and
their children."
AB 2177
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7)Includes in the council's membership: domestic-violence
victims' advocates; battered-women service providers;
representatives of women's organizations; law enforcement; at
least one representative serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender communities; and other groups involved with
domestic violence.
8)Requires the council and the OES to closely collaborate in
developing funding priorities, framing the request for
proposals, and soliciting proposals for domestic violence and
sexual assault/rape crisis grant programs.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, 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: According to the author, "Facilitating public
participation in the administration of governmental programs is
important to fulfilling the important goal of government
transparency. When the doors of government are open and
accessible to all, the efficacy of the programs it administers
better reflect the needs of everyday citizens who stand to
benefit from their administration.
"The federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds administered by
the Office of Emergency Services (OES) serve an exceedingly
important purpose: they bring important and needed victims
services to communities across the state where people have
suffered trauma and loss as a result of crime. Last year the
state of California was given over $230 million for distribution
to victim services programs across the state. Current OES
management of the VOCA funds includes use of a steering
committee made of organizational leaders that meet privately and
advise OES on both the grant application process and which
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programs should receive grants. Missing from this process are
two important things: the voice of the people impacted by crime
and a public, transparent process with a venue for greater
community input.
"Assembly Bill 2177 will create a VOCA Advisory Committee that
will be comprised of not just service providers but also the
very victims that VOCA funds are designed to serve. This body
will meet publicly to provide a venue for community and
stakeholder feedback that features the voice of survivors of
crime. Victims of crime report that one of the most important
parts of the healing process is the opportunity to be heard, an
opportunity that can only begin to be fully realized when there
is a venue, process and body that is representative of the needs
of crime victims themselves."
Analysis Prepared by:
Sandy Uribe/ PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN:
0003297