BILL ANALYSIS
AB 503
Page 1
GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB 503 (Furutani)
As Amended August 19, 2009
2/3 vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |80-0 |(May 11, 2009) |SENATE: |39-0 |(September 2, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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|ASSEMBLY: |78-0 |(September 8, | | | |
| | |2009) | | | |
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Original Committee Reference: HEALTH
SUMMARY : Extends to January 1, 2015, the sunset date of an
advisory council which provides consultation to the Department
of Public Health (DPH) Domestic Violence Program (DVP), and
requires DPH and the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal
EMA) to consider consolidation of their respective domestic
violence (DV) programs.
The Senate amendments :
1)Extend to January 1, 2015, the sunset date of the Domestic
Violence Advisory Council (DVAC), which provides consultation
to the DVP.
2)Require DPH to consult with Cal EMA to consider consolidation
of their respective DV programs and to report conclusions to
the Legislature by June 30, 2011.
3)Correct references to the DPH Maternal, Child, and Adolescent
Health Division and to Cal EMA.
4)In order to address chaptering conflicts, add language to
double-joint this bill with SB 273 (Corbett), which would make
DV programs gender-neutral.
AB 503
Page 2
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill deleted the January 1, 2010
sunset on the DVAC.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, unknown costs for the DVAC, but likely under $50,000
annually, and unknown but probably absorbable costs for
reporting on consolidation.
COMMENTS : The author states the DVAC helps the state allocate
$20 million per year to 94 battered women's shelters. According
to DPH, the DVP provides grants to 94 DV agencies that provide a
variety of services, including but not limited to 24-hour crisis
hotlines, business centers, emergency shelter, transitional
housing, legal assistance with restraining orders and custody
disputes, court and social advocacy, counseling, household
establishment assistance, and community resource and referral
services. The DVP also provides technical assistance and
training to local agencies to serve all victims of DV. DVAC had
at least three meetings or conference calls in 2008 and
discussed grant administration, funding, and new program ideas
for serving the underserved.
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE :
California's fiscal crisis required tough choices in
our state budget. One of the most difficult choices
was to eliminate funding for the Department of Public
Health's domestic violence program. Since that
Department no longer receives funding for this
program, extending the sunset date for the advisory
committee is also unnecessary.
I am, however, signing Senate Bill 273 to extend the
advisory council to the California Emergency
Management Agency because that program will continue
to provide assistance to the victims of domestic
violence.
AB 503
Page 3
While I regret returning this bill without my
signature, our fiscal situation compels the
elimination of this statutory provision.
Analysis Prepared by : Allegra Kim / HEALTH / (916) 319-2097
FN: 0003378