BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 255
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Date of Hearing: August 26, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 255
(Liu) - As Amended August 17, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill authorizes the Commission on the Status of Women and
Girls (Commission) to conduct fundraising activities that
require a payment or purchase to attend. This bill also exempts
Commission fundraising events and meetings conducted solely for
fundraising purposes from the Bagley Keene Open Meeting Act
(Bagley Keene Act), and makes a clarifying change to the
SB 255
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composition of the Commission.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Potential minor savings to the extent that fundraising meetings
and events no longer have to be publically noticed under the
Bagley-Keene Act.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The author contends that raising private money has
proven difficult for the Commission because, as a state body,
it is also required to comply with the Bagley-Keene Act. This
bill provides that meetings and activities conducted solely
for the purpose of fundraising do not fall under the scope of
Bagley-Keene provided that no other business that is within
the subject matter of the Commission is discussed,
deliberated, or acted upon. The author believes that this bill
will help stabilize funding for the Commission.
2)Background. The Commission was established in 1965 as an
advisory committee by then-Governor Pat Brown to protect and
improve opportunities for California women and girls. It
became a permanent Commission under Governor Reagan in 1971.
As an independent, nonpartisan state agency, it provides a
statewide perspective to the Legislature and other
policymakers on issues affecting women and girls, such as
gender in the workplace, gender equity in the media,
educational needs of women and girls, health and safety of
women and girls, and women in the military.
SB 1038 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 46,
Statutes of 2012, restructured the mission of the Commission
and directed it to seek funding from private entities to
reduce its reliance on state funding. Proceeds from non-state
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sources are deposited in the Women and Girls Fund in the State
Treasury to be used to support the work of the Commission.
The final 2015-16 State Budget includes a $500,000 General
Fund appropriation to the Commission and $374,000 in the
special Women and Girls Fund.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081