SB 877, as introduced, Pan. Reporting and tracking of violent deaths.
Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health, which is responsible for various programs relating to the health and safety of people in the state, including licensing health facilities, regulating food and drug safety, and monitoring and preventing communicable and chronic diseases.
This bill would require the department to establish and maintain the California Electronic Violent Death Reporting System. The bill would further require the department to collect data on violent deaths, as specified, and contract with counties to collect certain data, and would authorize the department to apply for grants to implement these provisions. The bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
P2 1(a) Information and data regarding violent deaths can help
2provide states and communities with a clearer understanding of
3violent deaths and therefore lead to better prevention of violent
4deaths.
5(b) According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and
6Prevention (CDC), in the United States, violence accounts for
7approximately 51,000 deaths annually. Violent deaths result from
8the intentional use of physical force or power against oneself,
9another person, or a group or community, and include suicide,
10homicide, and legal intervention deaths. Violence adversely affects
11all Americans, not only through premature
death, but also through
12medical costs and lost productivity.
13(c) The CDC further notes that the cost of these deaths totaled
14$47.2 billion: $47 billion in work loss costs and $215 million in
15medical treatment.
16(d) In 2002, the National Violent Death Reporting System
17(NVDRS) was established as a surveillance system that pulls
18together data on violent deaths. NVDRS collects information from
19death certificates, coroner or medical examiner reports, police
20reports, and crime laboratories.
21(e) NVDRS data informs decisionmakers and program planners
22about the magnitude, trends, and characteristics of violent deaths
23in a particular state or community so appropriate prevention efforts
24can be identified and implemented, and the data facilitates the
25evaluation of state-based prevention programs and strategies.
26(f) According to NVDRS, a national system will allow the CDC
27to provide information for every state to inform their prevention
28efforts. It will also ensure enhanced information on the national
29scope of the problem of violent deaths is available to monitor and
30track trends and to inform national efforts.
Article 3 (commencing with Section 131230) is added
32to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 112 of the Health and Safety
33Code, to read:
34
(a) The department shall establish and maintain the
38California Electronic Violent Death Reporting System.
39(b) The department shall collect data on violent deaths as
40reported from data sources, including, but not limited to, death
P3 1certificates, law enforcement reports, and coroner or medical
2examiner reports.
3(c) The department shall contract with counties to collect the
4data specified in subdivision (b).
5(d) The department may apply for grants provided under the
6National Violent Death Reporting System of the federal Centers
7for Disease Control and Prevention for purposes of implementing
8this section.
9(e) The department may accept private or foundation moneys
10to implement this section.
11(f) This section does not limit data sources that the department
12may collect, which may include any public agency document that
13may contain data on violent deaths.
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