BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2221| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: AB 2221 Author: Cristina Garcia (D) and Grove (R) Amended: 8/18/16 in Senate Vote: 21 SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/21/16 AYES: Hancock, Anderson, Glazer, Leno, Liu, Monning, Stone SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/11/16 AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza, Nielsen ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16 (Consent) - See last page for vote SUBJECT: Criminal procedure: human trafficking witnesses SOURCE: Author DIGEST: This bill authorizes minor victims of human trafficking to be provided with victim witness assistance. Senate Floor Amendments of 8/18/16 remove the specification that victim witness assistance centers provide victims assistance prior to testifying. ANALYSIS: Existing law: AB 2221 Page 2 1)Specifies that a prosecuting witness in a case involving a violation or attempted violation of specified offenses, including human trafficking, shall be entitled, for support, to the attendance of up to two persons of his or her own choosing, one of whom may be a witness, at the preliminary hearing and at the trial, or at a juvenile court proceeding, during the testimony of the prosecuting witness. (Penal Code, § 868.5.) 2)States that only one of those support persons may accompany the witness to the witness stand, although the other may remain in the courtroom during the witness' testimony. (Penal Code, § 868.5.) This bill specifies that a minor who is a victim of human trafficking must be provided with assistance from the local county Victim Witness Assistance Center if the victim so desires. This bill does not require a local agency to operate a Victim Witness Assistance Center. Background Victims of crime may suffer physical, emotional, or financial harm. Victims and witnesses to a crime may face retaliation or intimidation in connection with their potential participation in the criminal justice system. Victims and witness can also be confused by a criminal justice system that is not familiar to them. Victim Witness Assistance Programs can provide assistance with these issues. These programs are frequently connected to the county district attorney's office. Victim Witness Assistance Programs generally have trained and experienced advocates provide services for victims and witnesses interacting with the criminal justice system. Services can include crisis counseling, orientation to the criminal justice system, community referrals, assistance with applying for victim compensation, a support group for family members of homicide victims, and many other services. FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:YesLocal: No SUPPORT: (Verified8/18/16) AB 2221 Page 3 Bakersfield Police Department California Police Chiefs Association Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Peace Officers Research Association of California OPPOSITION: (Verified8/18/16) None received ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16 AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mayes, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Wood, Rendon NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang, Mathis, McCarty, Williams Prepared by:Molly Lao / PUB. S. / 8/19/16 18:44:31 **** END ****