BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de Le�n, Chair
SB 544 (DeSaulnier) - Violence prevention.
Amended: January 6, 2014 Policy Vote: Public Safety 7-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: January 23, 2014
Consultant: Brendan McCarthy
SUSPENSE FILE.
Bill Summary: SB 544 would create a new California Violence
Prevention Authority within the Department of Public Health. The
bill would require the new Authority to take certain actions,
such as coordinating violence prevention activities with other
state agencies and distributing grant funds.
Fiscal Impact:
One-time costs of about $75,000 for the Department of
Public Health to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles
to create a new license plate to support the proposed
program and to track potential purchaser information
(General Fund).
One-time costs of about $400,000 for the Department of
Motor Vehicles to make programming changes necessary to
create a new license plate to support the proposed program
(special fund).
One-time costs of $370,000 for the Department of Public
Health to develop a strategic plan, coordinate with other
state agencies, and convene an advisory committee (General
Fund or special fund).
Ongoing administrative costs of $625,000 per year to
coordinate with other state agencies, support the advisory
committee, and evaluate programs (General Fund or special
fund).
Unknown ongoing costs to provide grants to local and
statewide organizations (General Fund or special fund).
Background: Under current law, the state operates a variety of
SB 544 (DeSaulnier)
Page 1
programs intended to reduce violence in the state.
Current state programs include:
The Board of State and Community Corrections, which was
created to promote state and local partnerships in
California's adult and juvenile justice system.
The Carl Washington School Safety and Violence Prevention
Act, through which schools may be eligible for funding for
activities to reduce violence amongst students.
The California Gang, Crime and Violence Prevention
Partnership Program within the Department of Justice which
seeks to reduce gang-related violence in the state.
The Violence Prevention Unit within the Department of
Public Health, which provides grants to local community
groups to prevent rape and domestic violence. This program
also coordinates policy with other state programs developed
to reduce violence.
Proposed Law: SB 544 would create a new California Violence
Prevention Authority within the Department of Public Health.
The Authority would be required to:
Develop a statewide violence prevention plan,
Coordinate statewide violence prevention efforts,
Seek funding for violence prevention efforts,
Administer grants to local and statewide entities,
Provide training and technical assistance to help community
organizations build violence prevention capacity.
The bill would create an advisory board chaired by the Attorney
General, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the
Director of Public Health. Advisory board members would include
specified other state officials.
Staff Comments: As noted above, there are several existing state
programs with responsibilities similar to those proposed in this
bill.
The Department of Public Health indicates that it is not aware
of potential funding sources to support the grant program
established in the bill, other than existing federal
anti-violence funds which are distributed through the
Department's existing grant programs.
SB 544 (DeSaulnier)
Page 2
Recently adopted amendments: would require the Department of
Public Health to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles to
create a new specialty license plate to support the proposed new
program. The new program would not become active until the
Department of Public Health determines that sufficient revenues
are available, including from a new specialty license plate.