BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 255 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 26, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair SB 255 (Liu) - As Amended August 17, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Accountability and |Vote:|8 - 0 | |Committee: |Administrative Review | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Page 2 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 SB 255 Page 3 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