GOOD AFTERNOON AND
WELCOME TO OUR ASSEMBLY BUDGET
SUB COMMITTEE FOR HEARING THE
HEARING HAS TAKEN PLACE IN ROOM
447. TODAY WE ARE COVERING TWO
ENTITIES, THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AND THE GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS AGENCY. THE PANELISTS
LISTED ON THE AGENDA ARE
APPEARING IN PERSON. WE WILL BE
ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT. AT THE
END OF THE HEARING, BOTH IN THE
HEARING ROOM AND ON THE PHONE.
THE PHONE NUMBER TO CONNECT IS
ON THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE AND
SHOULD BE DISPLAYED ON THE
SCREEN. IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS
HEARING ONLINE, THE PHONE NUMBER
IS TOLL FREE 87769289. AND THE
PUBLIC ACCESS CODE IS 131544. IF
YOU ENCOUNTER ANY PROBLEMS,
PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSEMBLY
BUDGET COMMITTEE AT 916. 3192099
AND A STAFF MEMBER WILL ASSIST
YOU. WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO
PROVIDE WRITTEN TESTIMONY BEFORE
THE HEARING. PLEASE SEND YOUR
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO BUDGETS OF
FOUR AT A SM DOT CA.GOV AND IN A
MOMENT OF MIRACLES HERE IN THE
LEGISLATURE, WE HAVE QUORUM. AND
WITH THAT, LET'S ESTABLISH, UM
DOING CARD, PLEASE, OR WE'RE
DOING CORAM. ROLL SHAPE.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S KOREA HERE.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S EARLY YEAH.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S PATTERSON.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAISE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WICKS.
EXCELLENT WE HAVE CORE. UM WE
WILL NOW BEGIN ON THE VOTE ONLY
CALENDAR. WE HAVE SIX ITEMS FOR
CONSIDERATION. WE ARE WHICH ARE
LISTED ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR
REFERENCE. VOTE ONLY ISSUE ONE
IS DOJ IS VARIOUS BUDGET
PROPOSALS TO IMPLEMENT
LEGISLATION. THE ACTION IS
APPROVED AS BUDGETED CAN I GET A
MOTION IN A SECOND? ROLL CALL,
PLEASE. MOTION IS TO APPROVE HIS
BUDGETED KOREA I LI LI I
PATERSON. PATERSON I RAISE RAISE
I WIX WIX. AYE. VOTE ONLY ISSUE
, TOO, IS A B 655 AND A B 10 84
IN THE ACTION IS APPROVED AS
BUDGETED CAN I GET A MOTION IN A
SECOND? REAL CALL, PLEASE MOTION
NEEDS TO APPROVE ITS BUDGETED
KOREA LEE WE I, PATERSON
PATERSON NO RAISE RAISED BY
WICKS. WICKS. AYE. VOTE ONLY
ISSUED THREE IS CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE A B 256 AND THE ACTION
IS APPROVED AS BUDGETED CAN I
GET A MOTION IN A SECOND? MOTION
IS TO APPROVE HIS BUDGET IN
KOREA. I LEAP LEE I. PATERSON
HARRISON NOT BUILDING RAISE
RAISE I WICKS. WICKS. AYE. ARE
WE ON FOUR. WE'RE ON FOUR. BOTH
ONLY ISSUE FOR IS GENDER
IDENTITY. SB 1 79, AND THE
ACTION IS APPROVED AS BUDGETED
CAN I GET A MOTION IN A SECOND?
EXACTLY. BROKE UP, PLEASE MOTION
IS TO APPROVE AS BUDGETED KOREA
. I LEAVE THE I. PATERSON.
HARRISON NOT BUILDING RAISE I
WIX WIX SITE. VOTE ONLY ISSUE
FIVE IS THE POLITICAL REFORM
EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR THE F P. P
C AND THE ACTION IS APPROVED AS
BUDGETED CAN I GET A MOTION IN A
SECOND? ROLL CALL, PLEASE MOTION
NEEDS TO APPROVE HIS BUDGETED
CORREA CARILLO I LI WE I
PATERSON PATERSON. I RAISE RAISE
I SIX WEEKS. I VOTE ONLY ISSUE
SIX IS THE CONSUMER PRIVACY
IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL FOR THE
PRIVACY PROTECTION AGENCY, AND
THE ACTION IS APPROVED AS
BUDGETED CAN I GET A MOTION?
GREAT ROLE CARD, PLEASE MOTION
IS TO APPROVE AS BUDGETED KOREA
I BELIEVE WE I PATERSON PATERSON
. NO RAISE RAISE I WICKS. AYE.
LITTLE SHIP. THAT MEANS ISSUES
12345 AND SIX ARE ALL OUT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH TO THE MEMBERS FOR
ESTABLISHING CORUM AND GETTING
PAST OUR VOTE ONLY CALENDAR DUE
TO, UM. CONCURRENTLY ONGOING
LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS AND THE
FACT THAT WE ALL HAVE TO BE AT
FIVE DIFFERENT PLACES AT THE
SAME TIME. WE ARE GOING TO
RECESS FOR 30 MINUTES AND WE
WILL THEN HEAR THE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA AFTER WE COME BACK IN
ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THANK YOU. NO,
I DON'T. PUT ON BUSINESS. SO
I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW. OKAY,
THAT WAY HERE. TREMENDOUS CATTLE
. YEAH, ON THE WINDOW. YEAH.
YEAH. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THIS.
MOVE THIS OFF, OKAY? GOOD LUCK.
BUDGETS OF FOUR IS NOW
RECONVENED AND WE ARE IN ROOM
447. LET'S BEGIN WITH ISSUE
NUMBER ONE, THE NEW YORK STATE
RIFLE ASSOCIATION VERSUS BREW
AND CARRY CONCEALED WEAPONS
LICENSES. WE'RE STARTING WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
PLEASE BEGIN WHEN YOU'RE READY
AND JUST SPEAK AS CLOSE AS YOU
CAN TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR CHRIS
RYAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF
OPERATIONS. AND I HAVE SOME
COLLEAGUES HERE WHO CAN ANSWER
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE
TODAY. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
THE CRIMINAL CALIFORNIA JUSTICE
INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION,
REQUESTING A TOTAL OF 4.9
MILLION AND 23 24 3.2 MILLION IN
24 25 TO ADDRESS WORKLOAD
INCREASES RESULTING FROM THE NEW
YORK STATE RIFLE AND PISTOL
ASSOCIATION VERSUS BRUIN UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION
AND I HAVE MICHAEL READING,
SITTING TO MY RIGHT HERE, AND
HE'S PREPARED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF
OVERVIEW. OF THE CASE AND THE
ISSUES I'LL TURN OVER TO YOU,
MICHAEL. GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AGAIN.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL READING. I'M
A SPECIAL ASSISTANT, UH,
ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. UM SO EXACTLY, I'M HERE
TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT WE'LL CALL BRUIN. THE CASE
. UM QUESTION IN BRUIN WAS WHO
HAS A RIGHT TO CARRY A CONCEALED
WEAPON IN PUBLIC. PRIOR TO BRUIN
, THERE WERE ROUGHLY SPEAKING
THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF REGIMES
. ONE WAS NO REGIME, MEANING
ANYBODY WHO HAD A FIREARM COULD
CARRY IT IN PUBLIC WITHOUT
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION. AND
WHEN I STAYED THREE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF REGIMES, SAYING ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES A SECOND
BUCKET WAS SHALL ISSUE STATES IN
THESE STATES IF SOMEBODY
SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION AND
THERE WAS NOTHING DISQUALIFYING
THAT PERSON FROM CARRYING A
CONCEALED WEAPON IN PUBLIC, THAT
PERSON WOULD BE ISSUED A PERMIT
OR A CCW, CALIFORNIA WAS IN THE
THIRD BUCKET. CALIFORNIA WAS A
MAY ISSUE A STATE. THIS ROUGHLY
SAID THAT IF SOMEBODY IS
SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION THERE
COULD BE AN ASSESSMENT AND, UH
THE ISSUING AGENCY HAD SOME
AUTHORITY TO ISSUE OR TO DENY AN
APPLICATION AT THE ISSUE OR THE
STATUTE IN QUESTION IN BRUIN WAS
THE NEW YORK STATUTE, NEW YORK
REQUIRED. WHAT WAS THE LANGUAGE
WAS PROPER CAUSE AT SAID THAT,
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A CCW HAD TO
DEMONSTRATE PROPER CAUSE AGAIN,
ROUGHLY SPEAKING PROPER CAUSE IN
NEW YORK. MEANT THAT YOU HAD A
HEIGHTENED NEED FOR A CONCEALED
CARRY PERMIT. OFTEN THAT WAS
INTERPRETED TO MEAN THAT YOU
HAD, UH, THREATS AGAINST YOU. OR
YOU HAD SOME SPECIAL NEED FOR
HAVING THIS SELF DEFENSE, UH, AT
YOUR FINGERTIPS, OFTEN IN NEW
YORK. ACTUALLY IT WAS PEOPLE
LIKE FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY HAD
RECEIVED SOME THREATS. SIMILARLY
IN CALIFORNIA. WE REQUIRED GOOD
CAUSE IN CALIFORNIA. CCW IS A
VERY LOCAL DRIVEN PROCESS,
MEANING THAT THESE ARE ISSUED BY
THE SHERIFFS AND THE LOCAL
POLICE CHIEFS. THE
INTERPRETATION OF WHAT GOOD
CAUSE MEANT VARIED FROM LOCALITY
TO LOCALITY, BUT NOT UNLIKE NEW
YORK. IT WAS SOME OTHER
ADDITIONAL NEED OTHER THAN BEING
DISQUALIFIED IN BREWING. THE
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
STRUCK DOWN NEW YORK'S PROPER
CAUSE REQUIREMENT. IN SHORT,
TRACING BACK TO HELLER AND
MCDONALD, THESE TWO DECISIONS
THAT CAME OUT IN 2008 AND 2010.
THE SUPREME COURT FOUND THAT THE
CORE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT WAS
SELF DEFENSE, NOT JUST IN THE
HOME BUT IN PUBLIC ACCORDINGLY
BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS THAT RIGHT
TO SELF DEFENSE IN PUBLIC. THE
PRESUMPTION IS THAT EVERYONE HAS
A RIGHT TO A CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT OR A CCW AND STATES
CANNOT CONDITION. THE ISSUANCE
OF A PERMIT ON THIS HEIGHTENED
NEED. UH, CALIFORNIA STATUTE WAS
. SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE
DECISION AND DISCUSSED IN THE
DECISION. SO THIS WAS NOT A
HYPOTHETICAL THAT CALIFORNIA
STATUTE WAS STRUCK DOWN
CALIFORNIA STATUTE WAS
IMMEDIATELY STRUCK DOWN AS A
RESULT OF THAT DECISION, AND, UH
, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE ACTUALLY ISSUED GUIDANCE
BELIEVE THE NEXT DAY SAYING THAT
, UH, AGAIN ISSUING AGENCIES
CHIEFS, SHERIFFS COULD NO LONGER
REQUIRE GOOD CAUSE IN ORDER FOR
SOMEBODY TO RECEIVE. A CCW SO.
CALIFORNIA HAS TRANSITIONED AND
IT'S NOT TRANSITIONING BUT HAS
TRANSITIONED TO AGAIN. A SHALL
ISSUE STATE. THERE REMAIN A FEW
OTHER REQUIREMENTS IN
CALIFORNIA. REQUIREMENT TO
COMPLETE A COURSE OF TRAINING.
AH, REQUIREMENT TO BE A RESIDENT
OF THE RELEVANT CITY OR COUNTY
AND TO DEMONSTRATE GOOD MORAL
CHARACTER. THESE REMAIN IN PLACE
TODAY, BUT THE KEY MESSAGE THAT
I HOPE TO GET ACROSS YOU TODAY
IS THAT THE MANDATE HAS BEEN
PLACED ON US NOT BY A CHANGE IN
STATUTE OR A CHANGE IN APPROACH
, NOT EVEN BY A FEDERAL LAW THAT
MAY LATER BE CHALLENGED. IN SOME
WAY. THIS IS A MANDATE THAT
COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT AND WE ARE
OBLIGED TO COMPLY. SO
ACCORDINGLY OUR NUMBERS ARE ARE
CHANGING. UM THAT'S MY OVERVIEW
. THANK YOU AND I, THE
DEPARTMENT WELCOMES ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. WE'RE
GONNA GO TO THE LAO, FOLLOWED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE ANITA
LEE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. UM CITY
ADMINISTRATION IS REQUESTING A
PORTION OF THE FUNDING FROM THE
FINGERPRINT FEES ACCOUNT AND A
PORTION OF THE FUNDING FROM THE
GENERAL FUND. WE RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE FUND THE GENERAL
FUND PORTIONS 2.9 MILLION IN
2023 24 2.7 MILLION IN 24 25
FROM THE DEALERS RECORD OF SALE
OR DROSS A SPECIAL ACCOUNT
INSTEAD, UM, STATE LAW
AUTHORIZES FEE REVENUES TO BE
ASSESSED AND COLLECTED TO COVER
DOJ IS COSTS RELATED TO CCW
WORKLOAD. AND OUR UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT THESE FEE REVENUES ARE
DEPOSITED INTO THE FINGERPRINT
FEES ACCOUNT AS WELL AS THE
DROSS SPECIAL ACCOUNT. BUT THE
PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE
HERE IS ONLY ASKING FOR, UM
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE
FINGERPRINT FEES ACCOUNT AND NOT
THE DROSS ACCOUNT. SO WE DID
DISCUSS THE DROSS SPECIAL
ACCOUNT IN A PRIOR HEARING
SPECIFICALLY THAT THE DROSS
ESPECIAL ACCOUNT IN RECENT YEARS
HAS HAD REVENUES THAT EXCEED
EXPENDITURES THAT HAS ALLOWED
THAT FUN BALANCE TO GROW A BIT,
AND SO BY SHIFTING KIND OF
SUPPORT OVER TO THE GENERAL FUND
THAT WOULD FREE UP ABOUT $3
MILLION IN GENERAL FUND THAT
COULD THEN BE USED FOR OTHER
LEGISLATIVE PURPOSES. WHICH IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE
STATE'S BUDGET SITUATION. UM WE
WOULD FINALLY NOTE THAT A FEE
INCREASE OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE
INCREASE COULD ALSO BE
APPROPRIATE, GIVEN THAT IN OUR
CONVERSATIONS WITH DOJ THE LAST
TIME THE FEES WERE ADJUSTED,
WERE IN 22,004. SO IT'S BEEN A
LITTLE BIT OF TIME. SO THANK
YOU. AND KEVIN CLARK WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. SO JUST
TO RESPOND A LITTLE BIT TO L. A
S COMMENTS ON UTILIZING DROSS
FEES OR EXCUSE ME, DRAWS FUNDS
FOR THESE TRANSACTIONS. SO LIKE
ELIO MENTIONED GROSS REVENUES
HAVE INCREASED OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS DUE TO THE INCREASE IN
FISCAL YEAR 2019 20, SO THE FEE
WENT FROM ROUGHLY $19 TO $31.13.
SO THAT THE INCREASE WAS ENACTED
IN LARGE PART TO SUPPORT THE
FIREARMS. I T SYSTEM
MODERNIZATION PROJECT, AND
THAT'S A COMPLEX PROJECT THAT
MODERNIZES A NUMBER OF
ANTIQUATED FIREARMS DATABASES
THAT DOJ MAINTAINS. SO WE WERE
JUST NOTE THAT FUNDING THIS. BCP
WITHDRAWS REVENUES COULD
COMPROMISE OTHER FIREARMS
PRIORITIES IN THE SPACE,
INCLUDING THE FITS AND
IMPLEMENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THANK
YOU MUCH APPRECIATE IT AND THANK
YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT
APPEARS THAT THE SUPREME COURT
RULING WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE STATE
RELATED TO CARRY CONCEALED
WEAPONS LICENSES. SO DOES THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. UM,
CURRENTLY RECEIVE DATA ON WHILE
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CURRENTLY RECEIVES DATA FOR CCW
LICENSES FROM COUNTIES ARE THOSE
COUNTIES IN COMPLIANCE. SO THE
BEST ANSWER THAT I CAN GIVE ON
THAT IS THAT WHAT'S REQUIRED?
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE IS NOT TO SAY WE'RE
TOTALLY HANDS OFF, BUT WE HAVE
TWO POINTS IN TIME WHEN WE
RECEIVED DATA. THE FIRST POINT
IN TIME IS WHEN SOMEBODY SUBMITS
A RECORD REQUEST. THEY WANT A
BACKGROUND CHECK, AND SO WE GET
THE PAYING FOR THE BACKGROUND
CHECK. WE DO THE BACKGROUND
CHECK. WE SEND IT BACK TO THE
COUNTY OR OR POLICE CHIEF. THEN
ON THE BACK END ONCE THE CHIEF
OR SHERIFF HAS DONE THEIR
VETTING WHEN WHATEVER THEY'RE
DOING AND ISSUED A CONCEALED
CARRY PERMIT. THEY SEND US AS A
COPY OF PHOTO COPY OF THE PERMIT
ITSELF. WE KEEP THAT PERMIT FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES,
MEANING WE PUT IT IN OUR SYSTEM.
SO IF A POLICE OFFICER STOPS
SOMEBODY THEY CAN LOOK IN THEIR
SYSTEM AND SAY, OKAY, THIS
PERSON HAS A CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT. SO ALL THAT IS TO SAY WE
DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC
INFORMATION ABOUT SHERIFFS OR
CHIEFS BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE
WITH WITH THAT. WE ONLY KNOW
WHAT WE KNOW. AND WE'RE
COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION
AGAIN. NOT REALLY. FOR DATA
TRACKING PURPOSES, SO NOT SO WE
CAN GO BACK AND SAY OK ON JULY
19TH 2021. THERE WERE EXT.
NUMBER OF CCW IN CALIFORNIA.
WORK WE'RE COLLECTING IT SO THAT
WHEN WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT TO
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THEY HAVE
THE MOST ACCURATE DATA AT THEIR
FINGERTIPS AT THAT, GIVEN TIME.
I'M NOT SURE THAT QUITE ANSWERS
MY QUESTIONS IF THE COUNTIES ARE
IN COMPLIANCE, OR MY FOLLOW UP,
WHICH WOULD BE WHAT CAN YOU DO
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTIES
ARE IN COMPLIANCE? SO AND I
THINK THAT THE DIFFICULTY IS
THAT LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T
REALLY KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.
WE GET COPIES OF THE CONCEALED
CARRY PERMITS ON THE BACK END.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE HOW
LONG THEY'VE BEEN OR HOW LONG
IT'S BEEN SINCE THEY'VE BEEN
ISSUED. IF SOMEBODY ISSUES A
PERMIT AND DOESN'T SEND US A
COPY, THEN THEN WE DON'T
ACTUALLY KNOW THAT. SO SO FAR AS
WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING THAT
INFORMATION, AND WE THINK THAT
THERE THEY CERTAINLY HAVE A
BENEFIT AND GETTING THAT
INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY WANT US
TO HAVE THE RECORDS IN TERMS OF
GETTING PEOPLE INTO COMPLIANCE.
IF THEY'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE,
THERE'S NOT ANY SPECIFIC STATUTE
OR ANY SPECIFIC TOOL THAT WE
KNOW OF. THAT WOULD SAY. OKAY
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE
TO DO, AND MY POINT IS REALLY
JUST TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'RE
KEEPING THAT INFORMATION AGAIN
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES IF
THE LEGISLATURE WANTED US TO BE
KEEPING IT FOR DATA TRACKING
PURPOSES THAN EXACTLY WE MIGHT
BE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD,
DISCUSSING WHAT TOOLS WE WOULD
HAVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION. SO
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S KIND OF
HONOR SYSTEM. YES. THEN THE BIG
TRUST FALL, SO YOU MAY NOT BE
GETTING ALL THE ACCURATE
INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF
DATA THAT MAY BE TRUE. UM. WITH
THE INFORMATION, UM, AVAILABLE
TO THE PUBLIC. THE NUMBER OF C.
C. W S AT A GIVEN TIME AND GIVEN
COUNTY IS AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC. YES SO THERE'S AGAIN.
LOTS OF THERE IS LOTS OF DATA.
SOME OF IT IS CRIMINAL HISTORY
DATA AND IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC. UM SOME OF IT IS NOT
CRIMINAL HISTORY DATA, THE TOTAL
NUMBERS THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC. JUST TOTAL TOTAL NUMBERS
OF CCW S LICENSES. REFLECTED ON
WHERE IS THAT DATA COLLECTED
COLLECTED BY COUNTY OR IS IT
SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE
THROUGH THE DOJ WEBSITE? SO WE
HAVE WHEN THEY SEND US THESE
PHOTOCOPIES OF THE CCW AS WE PUT
IT INTO OUR SYSTEM, AND THEN WE
CAN SAY AT A GIVEN TIME. THIS IS
THE NUMBER OF A NUMBER OF CCW IS
THAT ARE THAT ARE ISSUED IN
AMADOR COUNTY AS OF TODAY. SO
IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT IF A
COUNTY DOES NOT PROVIDE YOU UP
TO DATE CURRENT INFORMATION ON
THE LICENSES BECAUSE IT'S A
TRUST SYSTEM, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE
AN HONOR CODE SYSTEM. THE
INFORMATION REFLECTED ON THE DOJ
WEBSITE MAY ACTUALLY NOT BE
ACCURATE, CORRECT. UNDERSTOOD
WHAT TRENDS HAVE YOU SEEN SO FAR
SINCE THE SUPREME COURT RULING
FROM LAST JUNE? FOR THAT. I'M
GONNA TURN IT OVER TO, UH,
ALISON MENDOZA OF THE BUREAU OF
FIREARMS. HI GOOD AFTERNOON.
ALICE MENDOZA, DIRECTOR OF THE
BUREAU OF FIREARMS. UM SO TRENDS
IN FIREARMS. I THINK YOU'RE
ASKING ABOUT NO CWS SPECIFICALLY
. SO UM, SINCE THE BRUIN
DECISION, THE BUREAU HAS ALREADY
SEEN AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 46% IN
INITIAL LIVE SCAN APPLICATIONS.
THAT'S THE FIRST STEP, UM, IN
WHICH A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
WILL SEND US AN APPLICATION TO
DO A FIREARM ELIGIBILITY CHECK
ON AN APPLICANT. BEFORE THEY
DECIDE WHETHER TO ISSUE OR NOT.
SO THAT'S JUST IN THE LAST 10
MONTHS SINCE THE BRUIN DECISION
. ARE YOU AMENABLE TO FUNDING
THIS REQUEST FROM THE DROVE
SPECIAL ACCOUNT FOR THE GENERAL
FUND PORTION AS THE YELLOW IS
RECOMMENDING? THANK YOU. I'M
GONNA TURN IT BACK TO CHRIS.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR CHRIS
RYAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. I THINK AS WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT IN OUR PREVIOUS HEARING,
THESE PROPOSALS WERE NOT
CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF THE FUND
BALANCE, SO WE WOULD NEED TO GO
BACK AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE
FUND COULD AFFORD IT OR NOT, AND
I THINK WE SPOKE TO THAT IN THE
EARLIER HEARING WHEN THERE WAS
PROPOSALS RELATED TO FIREARMS,
AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS
DEFENDED FROM DRUGS SO WE WOULD
HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK
AT THAT. CAN YOU PROVIDE MAYBE A
TIMELINE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE
TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT TO
THE COMMITTEE. WE CAN PROVIDE
INFORMATION TO YOU BEFORE THE
END OF THIS BUDGET DEVELOPMENT
CYCLE FOR, UH, CAN PROVIDED TO
STAFF WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS IF THAT WORKS BEFORE THE
MAY REVISE. YES THAT'D BE.
THAT'D BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU. UM
. I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE
THIS ITEM OPEN. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO
ISSUE TWO AMMUNITION
AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM FEE
INCREASES YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN
YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU. GREAT
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR CHRIS
RYAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AGAIN, AND THIS PROPOSAL
IS TWOFOLD. IT PROVIDES FOR
RESOURCES NEEDED FOR THE PROGRAM
TO CONDUCT THE WORK THAT'S
ASSOCIATED WITH AMMO
REGISTRATION, THE PROP 63
PROGRAM, AND IT ALSO PROVIDES
LANGUAGE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO ADJUST
THE FEE. NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE
PROGRAM. SO WHILE IT IS NOT A
CURRENTLY A FEE INCREASE, THE
LANGUAGE WOULD ALLOW THE
DEPARTMENT TO ADJUST ITS FEES TO
SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. I HAVE
ALLISON MENDOZA HERE TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
OPERATIONS. UH AND IF YOU WOULD
LIKE FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE
PROGRAM, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.
CAN YOU PROVIDE JUST A SHORT
DESCRIPTION, PLEASE? SURE THAT
THE AMMUNITION AUTHORIZATION
PROGRAM PROVIDES A BACKGROUND
CHECK. UM, FOR AN APPLICANT
PRIOR. I'M SORRY. IS THAT BETTER
SO THAT I MEAN AMMUNITION
AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM. WE
CONDUCTED FIRE OR I'M SORRY.
AMMUNITION ELIGIBILITY
BACKGROUND CHECKS PRIOR TO
SOMEBODY BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE
AMMUNITION. THIS WENT INTO
EFFECT JULY 2019. AND AS PART OF
THE AUTHORIZATION PROGRAM AS
WELL. WE DO THE LICENSING OF
AMMUNITION VENDORS WITHIN
CALIFORNIA WE DO COMPLIANCE
INSPECTIONS ON THE AMMUNITION
VENDORS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE IN LINE WITH, UM STATE
LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND THEN
ALSO, WE PROVIDE CERTIFICATE OF
ELIGIBILITY. BACKGROUND CHECKS
ON AMMUNITION, VENDOR EMPLOYEES
AS WELL AS FIREARM DEALER AND
FIREARM DEALER EMPLOYEES. WE'RE
GOING TO GO TO THE ELIO,
FOLLOWED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. UM SO THE AMMUNITION
SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL
FUND IS THE SPECIAL FUND THAT
SUPPORTS THIS PROGRAM. AND SINCE
THAT SPECIAL FUND WAS CREATED,
THE REVENUES THAT HAVE DEPARTED
BEEN DEPOSITED INTO IT HAVE NOT
BEEN SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT COSTS
. SO IF HEAT INCREASE IS
REASONABLE, HOWEVER, WE ARE
RECOMMENDING THAT THE
LEGISLATURE REJECT THE PROPOSED
TRAILER BILL LANGUAGE. THAT
WOULD AUTHORIZE DOJ TO ADJUST
THE FEE. UM THROUGH THE
REGULATORY PROCESS, AND THE
REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE WE
THINK THAT THIS APPROACH WOULD
REDUCE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT OF
THE PROGRAM AS THE AS
LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL WOULD NOT
BE NEEDED TO SET THE FEE LEVEL,
INCLUDING INCREASING THAT FEE,
AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE SPECIAL
FUND, THE AMMUNITION SAFETY AND
ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL FUND IS
CONTINUOUSLY APPROPRIATED, WHICH
MEANS THAT DOJ DOES NOT NEED TO
SEEK LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL FOR
EXPENDITURES AS LONG AS THERE'S
SUFFICIENT REVENUE. THAT'S
AVAILABLE, SO INSTEAD WE
RECOMMEND THAT THE LEGISLATURE
CHANGE STATE LAW TO INCREASE THE
FEE BECAUSE THAT APPROACH WOULD
ENSURE THAT THE LEGISLATURE
RETAINS SOME OVERSIGHT OVER THE
PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS IN
THINKING ABOUT THOSE FEED
LEVELS. IN CONSIDERING FEE
LEVELS. LEGISLATURE DOES HAVE
DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT COULD BE
CONSIDERED IN BALANCED. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, IS THERE A MAXIMUM
TRANSACTION FEE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE WANTS TO CAP IT OUT
AT? DOES THE LEGISLATURE WANT
THE GENERAL FUND LOAN TO BE
REPAID WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF TIME? AND THEN ALSO, UM WHEN
YOU KNOW, WHEN DOES THE
LEGISLATURE WANT THE FEE
INCREASE TO GO INTO EFFECT? SO
AS AN EXAMPLE UM, USING KIND OF
UPDATED DATA AND ASSUMPTIONS,
ASSUMING THAT THE PROPOSED
GENERAL FUND LOAN IS PROVIDED.
WE ESTIMATED THAT INCREASING THE
AMMUNITION FEED BY $4 FOR A
TOTAL $5 FEE COULD ENSURE THAT
THERE IS SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO
SUPPORT DOJ COSTS. BUT ALSO TO
REPAY THOSE GENERAL FUND LOANS
WITHIN 15 YEARS WHILE A $5
INCREASE FOR A TOTAL $6 FEE
WOULD UM PROBABLY RESULTS ENABLE
REPAYMENT IN ABOUT 10 YEARS.
PENDING THE FEE INCREASE. WE DO
THINK IT IS REASONABLE, UM, FOR
THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL GENERAL
FUND LOAN TO ENSURE THAT THE
PROGRAM'S OPERATIONAL LEVELS ARE
MAINTAINED. WE WOULD NOTE THAT
THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT WANT TO
ADJUST THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT IS
LOANED, DEPENDING ON WHATEVER
ACTION THE LEGISLATURE CHOOSES
TO TAKE ON THE FEET INCREASE. SO
IT'S A VERY QUICK EXAMPLE ON
THAT IF THE LEGISLATURE CHOOSES
TO INCREASE THE FEE AS PART OF
THE 2023 24 BUDGET AND HAVE IT
GO INTO EFFECT RIGHT AWAY, THEN
IT COULD MEAN THAT ONLY ONE OUT
OF THE REQUESTED TWO YEARS WOULD
REQUIRE A GENERAL FUND LOAN. AND
SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE
MEAN BY. YOU'D WANT TO ADJUST IT
TO MAKE SURE THAT ACTIONS WERE
COMPLEMENTARY. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. KEVIN CLARK. TORMENT
FINANCE SO JUST TO RESPOND TO L
. A O S COMMENTS IN TERMS OF
REJECTING THE TBL UM, I THINK
THE REGULATORY PROCESS HAS A
ROBUST SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND
BALANCES. REQUIRES DOJ TO
SOLICIT PUBLIC COMMENT FROM
STAKEHOLDERS, STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
AND ALSO CHANGES ARE REVIEWED BY
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE FOR FISCAL
IMPACT, AS WELL AS THE OPPOSITE
OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW TO ENSURE
THAT ANY REGULATORY CHANGES
CLEAR, PRECISE, NECESSARY AND
LEGALLY VALID. SO WITH THAT WE
THINK THERE'S STILL REALLY IS A
ROBUST SYSTEM TO PROMOTE
EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHTS. IN TERMS
OF INCREASING THE FEE AND
STATUTE SPECIFIC, UH, THERE'S
STILL A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT
THE REVENUES OF THIS FUND. AND
SO THERE'S NO REAL CLEAR TRENDS
THAT HAS EMERGED OVER THE LAST
FIVE OR SIX FISCAL YEARS THAT
WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING REVENUES.
AND SO PROVIDING DOJ WITH
AUTHORITY THROUGH THE REGS
PROCESS COULD ALLOW DOJ TO TAKE
ACTION SET THE FEE TO ALIGN WITH
COSTS OF ACTUALLY REGULATING THE
PROGRAM. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. CAN THE
DOJ SPEAK TO GENERAL TRENDS
REGARDING GENERAL GUN OWNERSHIP
? AND CAN YOU GIVE US AN
ESTIMATE? AS TO THE NEW NUMBER
OF PANERA'S YES. THANK YOU.
ALISON MENDOZA WITH THE BUREAU
OF FIREARMS. SO IN 2022, WE HAD
APPROXIMATELY 148,000 NEW GUN
OWNERS. UM OVER THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH
COVID AND THE PANDEMIC. WE SAW A
GROWTH IN GROSS TRANSACTIONS AND
GUN DEALERS REPORTED TO US THAT
A LOT OF THEM WERE FIRST TIME
BUYERS THAT HAD NEVER OWNED A
FIREARM. UM JUST LOOKING AT
TRENDS OF FIREARM OWNERSHIP OVER
THE YEARS SINCE 2008 WE HAD A,
UM ABOUT 927,000 RECORD RECORDED
INDIVIDUALS THAT FIREARM OWNERS
IN 2022. WE HAVE OVER THREE
MILLION. EXPRESSION SAYS IT.
SALAD WORDS. THANK YOU. UM WOW,
THAT'S UH, THAT'S REALLY
ALARMING. UM I WANT TO MAKE NOTE
THAT OUR COUNTRY SO FAR HAS
EXPERIENCED MORE THAN 100 AND 60
MASS SHOOTINGS. 14 OF THEM HAVE
BEEN IN CALIFORNIA, LEAVING 36
PEOPLE DEAD AND 47 PEOPLE
INJURED APART FROM THIS FEE
NEEDING TO SUPPORT THE
AMMUNITION PROGRAM, INCREASING
THE FEE FOR THE PURCHASE OF
BULLETS SOUNDS REASONABLE AS A
MATTER OF POLICY. BUT I WANT TO
DO MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION
UNDER CURRENT LAW IF I WERE TO
BUY ONE BULLET IN A SINGLE
TRANSACTION, OR 1000 IN THE
SINGLE TRANSACTION IS THE FEE A
DOLLAR FOR EACH TRANSACTION.
CORRECT. HAS THE DOJ ESTIMATED
WHAT THE FEE INCREASE WOULD NEED
TO BE IN ORDER TO FUND THE
PROGRAM AND PAY OFF THE ORIGINAL
LOAN. AND THE LOAN REQUESTED IN
THIS PROPOSAL. MADAM CHAIR CHRIS
RYAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. WE DID A PRELIMINARY
ESTIMATE. UM AND WE ESTIMATED
THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY $6.82 TO
PAY OFF THE LOAN AND PROVIDE
RESOURCES FOR THE PROGRAM. AND
THAT WOULD BE PAYING OFF A LOAN
OVER 10 YEARS. OUR NUMBER IS
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT LÀ
WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND I
THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME
COSTS, UM, THAT OCCUR AT THE
FUND LEVEL. THAT MAY NOT BE
OPERATIONAL COSTS. AND SO WE'D
LIKE TO WORK WITH THE AH AND IF
IT IF THERE'S A FEE PROPOSAL
GOING FORWARD. WHAT THAT RIGHT
NUMBER IS. SO THE $6.82 PER
TRANSACTION WOULD THAT BE THE
SAME AS MY PREVIOUS, UM KIND OF
SCENARIO IF I WERE TO BUY ONE
BULLET, I'M PAYING AN ADDITIONAL
$6.82. BUT IF I BUY 1000 BULLETS
, I'M STILL PAYING $6.82. YES.
YOU THINK THAT SEEMS REASONABLE?
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THE
LANGUAGE IS WRITTEN. SO WE'RE
JUST IMPLEMENTING THE LAW IS
CURRENTLY WRITTEN. IS THERE AN
OPPORTUNITY? JUST THINKING OUT
LOUD HERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
POTENTIALLY THINK ABOUT
PERCENTAGES OF WHAT YOU BUY
VERSUS VERSUS THIS VÆ. I THINK
THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
IT AND BRAINSTORM. I MEAN, I
MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MANY
WAYS TO CREATE A FEE. UM AND
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING IT BASED ON
THE TRANSACTION LANGUAGE THAT'S
CURRENTLY THERE. I THINK THIS
WAS A NEW PROGRAM. THIS WAS A
NEW FEE STRUCTURE AND A NEW
REGULATORY OPERATION WHEN THE
PROPOSITION WENT THROUGH, SO WE
HAVE TO GO BACK AND TALK WITH
OUR FIREARMS EXPERTS TO SEE
WOULD WE RECOVER THE SAME AMOUNT
OF REVENUE? WITH THESE OTHER
TYPES OF SCENARIOS THAT THAT
YOU'RE CONSIDERING, BUT IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE LIKELY WE'D BE
WILLING TO LISTEN TO. OKAY,
LET'S JUST SEEMS INTERESTING
THAT ONE BULLET VERSUS 1000
BULLETS IS STILL THE SAME FEES
$6.82 JUST INTERESTING. UM IF
THIS TRAILER BILL WERE
IMPLEMENTED, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE
CEILING LIMIT AS TO HOW MUCH THE
FEE CAN BE RAISED? MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE FEE
CANNOT BE MORE THAN WHAT IT
TAKES TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
BUT CAN YOU CLARIFY THE LIMITS
PROPOSED BY PROP 63? YEAH I
THINK WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE
PROCESS OF HAVING OUR GAVE LÀ
FOLKS TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. YOU
HAD PROP 63 THAT WENT THROUGH
WITH ONE LANGUAGE. YOU KNOW, ONE
DESCRIPTION, AND IT HAD A
CEILING OF ABOUT $50 SP 12 53
WAS THE BILL THAT FOLLOWED THAT
AND REPLACED A LOT OF THAT
LANGUAGE AND SPECIFIED A DOLLAR.
SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING
CONVERSATIONS. WE'VE ALSO BEEN
CONSULTING WITH OUR GENERAL
GOVERNMENT LAW SECTION. AND I
DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR FINANCE,
BUT I THINK THEY MAY HAVE SOME
OF THEIR ATTORNEYS LOOKING AT
THIS LANGUAGE AS WELL. UM, AND
WHAT IS THE VOTE THRESHOLD FOR
THIS TRAILER BILL? I'M GOING TO
DEFER TO FINANCE ON BOTH
THRESHOLDS. KEVIN CLARK
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. SO
ACCORDING TO ALLEGED COUNCIL
STAFF, THIS CHANGE IN STATUTE
WOULDN'T REQUIRE A TWO THIRDS
VOTE, NOR WOULD IT REQUIRE OR NO
ARE THE CHANGES BOUND TO THE
VOTE REQUIREMENTS OF PROP 63,
WHICH WOULD BE A 55% THRESHOLD.
AS WELL AS BEING TO FURTHER
INTENT TO FURTHER THE INTENTION
OF THE PROPOSITION. UM, THAT'S
IN CONVERSATIONS WITH ALLEGED
COUNCIL STAFF. AND JUST THANK
YOU AND JUST SORT OF MY OWN
CURIOSITY AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW
THE PROCESS. BUT IS THERE ANY
KIND OF TRAINING REQUIRED,
CONSIDERING IF YOU'RE BUYING A
FIRST TIME? YOUR FIRST TIME GUN
OWNER. WHAT IS THE PROCESS LOOK
LIKE CONSIDERING THINK IT'S
REALLY ALARMING THAT WE WENT
FROM 929,000. GUN OWNERS TO 2022
3 MILLION GUN OWNERS KNOW
THERE'S CALIFORNIA HAS DIFFERENT
SETS OF POLICIES IN PLACE. BUT
WHAT'S REQUIRED EXACTLY. YES
ALISON MENDOZA WITH THE BUREAU
FIREARMS IN ORDER TO PURCHASE A
FIREARM. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
FIREARM SAFETY CERTIFICATE OR
SOME SORT OF AUTHORIZED
EXEMPTION. AND SO THERE IS A
TRAINING MATERIAL THAT'S
PROVIDED THERE'S A FIREARM
SAFETY INSTRUCTOR THAT WOULD
PROVIDE A TEST. YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A PASSING SCORE. WHICH WOULD, UM
, YOU KNOW, ISSUE THAT THAT
FIREARM SAFETY CERTIFICATE THAT
YOU WOULD HAVE TO PRESENT AT
TIME OF PURCHASE WHAT ARE THE
EXCEPTIONS? THERE'S A HUNTING
LICENSE EXEMPTION, WHICH TO GET
A HUNTING LICENSE. YOU HAVE TO
GO THROUGH A TRAINING COURSE AS
WELL. UM, THERE'S A PEACE
OFFICER EXEMPTIONS AGAIN
TRAINING THAT'S INVOLVED WITHOUT
A PEACE OFFICER LEVEL THOSE
TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS. THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GOING TO
LEAVE THIS ITEM OPEN FOR THE
MOMENT AND GO ON TO ISSUE NUMBER
THREE RELATED TO GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS AGENCY LANGUAGE
ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM UPDATE.
THANK YOU.
THE BOSS. ONE LOOKS DIFFERENT IN
PERSON IN VIRTUALLY. NATALIE
ABOUT THIS. FINALE, HIÂU. THANK
YOU. ISSUED THREE. LANGUAGE
ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM UPDATE.
PLEASE BEGIN WHEN READY. OKAY
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
CHAIR, CARILLO AND STAFF. I'M
PAM CHOOSE SAVE. CHIEF EQUITY
OFFICER AT THE GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS AGENCY. I'M JOINED BY
SOME COLLEAGUES HERE WHO WILL
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. SORRY. FOR
I'M SORRY. BEFORE WE BEGIN FOR
THIS UPDATE. WE ARE JOINED BY
ACTUALLY, WE CAN ALLOW FOR THIS
TO YOU FOLKS TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES. PLEASE, PLEASE
CONTINUE. APOLOGIES. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME
IS MAUREEN KEFFER. AND AS OF
YESTERDAY I AM THE LANGUAGE
ACCESS MANAGER AT THE GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS AGENCY. UM, BECAUSE
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME APPEARING
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE. AH PAM
ASKED THAT I SHARE A LITTLE BIT
OF MY BACKGROUND. UM, I CAN DO
THAT NOW AND THEN WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD THROUGH THE REST OF THE
INTRODUCTIONS IF THAT'S OKAY. UM
FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS BEFORE
COMING TO THE STATE. I WORKED AT
CALIFORNIA RURAL LEGAL
ASSISTANCE, PRIMARILY SUPPORTING
THE INDIGENOUS FARMWORKER
PROGRAM. ONE OF MY FIRST CLIENTS
AS A PRACTICING LAWYER IN CRL, A
SALINAS OFFICE WAS A TRICKY
SPEAKING FARM WORKER WHO WAS
DENIED INTERPRETER SERVICES WHEN
DEALING WITH A LIFE THREATENING
MEDICAL CONDITIONS. SO LANGUAGE
ACCESS ISSUES HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO
MY PROFESSIONAL HEART FOR A LONG
TIME. FOR THE LAST FIVE PLUS
YEARS, I'VE WORKED IN CIVIL
RIGHTS POLICY AND EQUITY FOCUS
PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL SERVICES WHERE I WAS LEAD
ON THE CALLE HHS WIDE LANGUAGE
ACCESS EFFORTS. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME JOINED THE
SUBCOMMITTEE TODAY. MADAM
CHAIRMAN. IT'S JUSTIN HOWARD AND
DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR FISCAL
POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AGENCY.
AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY
COLLEAGUES. WE CAN BEGIN SO THE
BUDGET ACT OF 2022 INCLUDED FIVE
MILLION TO CREATE A LANGUAGE
ACCESS PILOT PROGRAM TO TEST HOW
TO PROVIDE INTERPRETATION AND
TRANSLATION IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES
THAT ALL GOVERNMENT HEARINGS AND
MEETINGS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC. THE GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS AGENCY IS TASKED WITH
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS
PROGRAM. I DO RECALL MID COVID
BY MYSELF, WAS INTERPRETING FOR
SPANISH SPEAKERS THAT WERE ON
THE CALL. UPS IS TASKED WITH
RESEARCHING HOW TO USE THE
VARIOUS TRANSLATION METHODS AND
TECHNOLOGIES TO ENSURE ANY
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN
PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT
MEETINGS, REGARDLESS OF LANGUAGE
SPOKEN. IN ADDITION, GIVE APPS
MUST LOOK AT WAYS PUBLIC COMMENT
CAN BE PROVIDED AND RESPONDED TO
AND THE PREFERRED LANGUAGE
KEBABS HAS BEGUN TO PRELIMINARY
FACES OF RESEARCHING AND
IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM. IN
THIS PANEL IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE AGENCY TO PROVIDE THEIR
FIRST UPDATE TO THIS BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE. PLEASE BEGIN. YES
UM, CAPTURED THAT VERY WELL,
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON
THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM AS YOU
MAYBE AWARE OF THE STATE'S CHIEF
EQUITY OFFICER POSITION IS NEWLY
CREATED WITH THE CHARGE OF
PROVIDING LEADERSHIP ON
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND
ACCESSIBILITY TO STATE
DEPARTMENTS WITHIN STATE
OPERATIONS, WITH THE FOCUS IN
THE AREAS OF HUMAN RESOURCES,
WORKFORCE PROCUREMENT AT TECH
AND TECHNOLOGY. THIS WORK
INCLUDES ENSURING CALIFORNIA'S
RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY,
HAVE ACCESS TO VITAL GOVERNMENT
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND
MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO
ENGAGE AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR
STATE GOVERNMENT. FOR THE PAST
EIGHT MONTHS SINCE ASSUMING THIS
NEW ROLE WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO
BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR
EQUITY AND LANGUAGE ACCESS WILL
WORK ACROSS THE STATE. THIS
INCLUDES THE CREATION OF A
LANGUAGE ACCESS MANAGER POSITION
TO DEVELOP AND LEAD THE PILOT
AND OTHER LANGUAGE ACCESS WORK.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO
HAVE MORE RING ON BOARD AND
JUMPING RIGHT IN ON HER SECOND
DATE. UM WITH HER VAST
EXPERIENCE IN THE CLOSENESS THAT
SHE'S HAD TO THIS WORK OR JUST
SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. UM WE HAVE
ALSO BEGUN RESEARCHING VARIOUS
METHODS TECHNOLOGIES BEST
PRACTICES AS YOU HAD SHARED TO
INFORM OUR APPROACH. WE ARE
LOOKING TO OTHER STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS FOR PEER LEARNING
THROUGH THE NETWORK OF STATE AND
LOCAL EQUITY OFFICES AND
NATIONAL AND MUNICIPAL LANGUAGE
ACCESS NETWORKS AND WITH THE
SUPPORT OF EXPERTS FROM THE
MIGRATION POLICY INSTITUTE AND
OUR PARTNERS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE RECENTLY MET
WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE TO
LEARN ABOUT THEIR INNOVATIVE
TRANSLATION APPROACH AND WE ARE
MEETING WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY
SOON TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR
COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION
SERVICES. WE ALSO PLAN TO DRAW
ON THE EXPERTISE OF PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING THE
AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION
AND THE REGISTRY OF INTERPRETERS
FOR THE DEATH. OF CENTRAL
IMPORTANCE TO OUR APPROACH IS TO
ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY BASED
STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE OFFERING
CRITICAL INPUT REGARDING THE
NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF
CALIFORNIANS WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES
OTHER THAN ENGLISH WILL BE HAPPY
TO FURTHER ELABORATE ON THESE
PARTNERSHIPS. SHOULD THE
COMMITTEE DESIRE MORE
INFORMATION. INTERNALLY WE WILL
CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE STATE
OPERATIONS WORKING GROUP TO
PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR
ENGAGEMENT OF STATE AGENCIES AND
DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY OVERSEE.
OVER THE NEXT MONTH, WE WILL
CONDUCT A SURVEY OF STATE
DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP A
BASELINE OF HOW DEPARTMENTS ARE
DELIVERING LANGUAGE ACCESS
SERVICES, INCLUDING FOR PUBLIC
MEETINGS AND HEARINGS. IN JUNE,
WILL COMPILE AND ANALYZE THE
SURVEY RESULTS TO INFORM OUR
WORK AS WELL AS IDENTIFIED
DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED
IN PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT.
IN THE MEANTIME, BEGINNING IN
MAY AND INFORMED BY OUR
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH, WE WILL
DEVELOP SCOPES OF WORK. AND
LEVERAGE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES
TO SELECT VENDORS WHO CAN
PROVIDE THE EXPERTISE AND
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS REQUIRED TO
PROVIDE TRANSLATION
INTERPRETATION SOLUTIONS AT A
MINIMUM OF THE FOUR PUBLIC
MEETINGS. WE ANTICIPATE
DELIVERING THE PILOT LANGUAGE
ACCESS SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING PRE
HEARING OUTREACH AND MEETING,
LANGUAGE SERVICES AND POST
MEETING FOLLOW UP FROM NOVEMBER
OF THIS YEAR THROUGH JUNE OF
2024. IN CLOSING. WE DO WANT TO
EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT
TO THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND
LANGUAGE ACCESS ACROSS THE
BOARD, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. WE'LL GO WITH LEO,
FOLLOWED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. ROSS BROWN WITH THE LA
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION TO ADD ON THIS ITEM.
NATALIE CRESWELL DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK
YOU. I DO HAVE JUST SOME FOLLOW
UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU, REALLY
MOSTLY ON IMPLEMENTATION. WHAT
IS THE AGENCY'S TIMELINE TO
BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE PILOT
PROGRAM? OKAY WE SPLIT THIS UP.
SO MARINE IS UP WITH SURE, I'M
HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE GENERAL
OVERVIEW OF OUR ANTICIPATED
MILESTONE. SO AS AS OF MAY I
THINK, AS YOU HEARD FROM HAM,
WE'RE PLANNING TO ADMINISTER A
SURVEY TO STATE DEPARTMENTS THAT
WILL HELP US IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR
EXISTING RESOURCES ARE AND
DEPARTMENTS THAT WE MAY
POTENTIALLY PILOT WITH PARTNER
WITH ON THE PILOT. UM, IN IN
JUNE, WE WILL. WE HOPE TO HAVE
NAILED DOWN THAT LIST OF
DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL BE WORKING
WITH TWO PILOT LANGUAGE ACCESS
SOLUTIONS. ON AN ONGOING BASIS,
WILL CONTINUE CONFERRING WITH
LANGUAGE ACCESS ADVOCATES AND
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND
CONTINUING OUR RESEARCH, AS WELL
AS DEVELOPING THE SCOPES OF WORK
, UM AND SOLICITING AND SECURING
THOSE VENDOR CONTRACTS AT FOR US
STARTING NOW, ESSENTIALLY
THROUGH NOVEMBER, SO WE HOPE TO
HAVE THE CONTRACT AND VENDORS IN
PLACE BY NOVEMBER SO THAT WE CAN
BEGIN DELIVERING THE TRANSLATION
AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES
STARTING THEN FOR THE SERIES OF
PUBLIC MEETINGS THROUGH JUNE OF
2024. AND WHAT WILL BE THE
METRICS USED TO EVALUATE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PILOT
PROGRAM. SO WE'RE WE'RE
COMPILING A COUPLE OF INDICATORS
RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
FIRST WOULD BE THE NUMBER OF
PARTICIPANTS IN THESE PUBLIC
MEETINGS WHO HAVE LIMITED
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, SO WE NEED
TO LOOK AT THE OUTREACH
STRATEGIES EMPLOYED AND WHETHER
WE'RE ACTUALLY REACHING THE
PEOPLE IN LANGUAGES IN IN IN
WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO ATTRACT
THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC
MEETINGS. WE'LL ALSO BE TRACKING
THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE ACTUALLY
PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT OR
ENGAGING IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN
ENGLISH. DURING THE MEETINGS
WERE LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING
SOME SURVEYS THAT WOULD GIVE US
FEEDBACK ON THE QUALITY OF THE
LANGUAGE SERVICES PROVIDED THE
CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS OF THE
TRANSLATED MATERIALS DEVELOPED.
THAT WOULD LIKELY BE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THOSE
COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS THAT
PAM REFERENCED A MOMENT AGO. AND
THEN WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING SOME
QUALITATIVE EXPERIENCE OR
SATISFACTION. SELF REPORTS
GATHERED BY SURVEYS FROM
PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETINGS
THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, REPORTING
ON THEIR EXPERIENCE, ACTUALLY
ENGAGING WITH THE INTERPRETATION
OR TRANSLATION SERVICES, AS WELL
AS THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS ON THE
RECEIVING END OF THE INPUT OR
FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS IS
SMOOTH AND EFFECTIVE, SO WE'LL
BE EVALUATING THEIR THEIR
IMPRESSIONS OF HOW THE
EXPERIENCE WENT THROUGH SURVEYS.
WHAT KIND OF VENDORS ARE YOU?
CONSIDERING? SO WE'RE LOOKING
INTO A VARIETY OF VENDORS. BOTH
YOU KNOW, PRIVATE INTERPRETATION
AND TRANSLATION CONTRACTORS,
COMPANIES AS WELL AS COMMUNITY
BASED TRANSLATION OR
INTERPRETATION PROVIDERS. WE
FIND THAT IN MANY INSTANCES,
THERE'S A NEED FOR SPECIALIZED
SERVICES THAT CAN ONLY BE REALLY
OBTAINED. BY ENGAGING WITH FOLKS
CLOSE TO THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW
FOR THE KIND OF CULTURAL
COMPETENCE NECESSARY SO LOOKING
AT BOTH THE BIGGER MULTI
LANGUAGE VENDORS AS WELL AS
SMALLER COMMUNITY BASED VENDORS.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT
YOU MIGHT, UM, JUST PUT ON YOUR
RADAR IN TERMS OF COMPARISON IS
IT MORE PHYSICALLY RESPOND?
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, UM,
THROUGH PUBLIC DOLLARS TO GO
THROUGH VENDORS AS YOU GO
THROUGH THIS PILOT PROGRAM OR TO
ESTABLISH IN HOUSE
INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION
SERVICES CONSIDERING THAT IN THE
FUTURE SIMPLETON SHAL MEETINGS
MAY HAVE LARGE NUMBER OF
CONSTITUENTS IN CALIFORNIA IS
COMING IN TO TESTIFY BOTH
LOCALLY HERE. AND SOME MAY NOT
RIGHT SO YOU MAY BE NEEDING
DIFFERENT RESOURCES FOR
DIFFERENT MEETINGS. VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE THAT SUGGESTION WILL
DEFINITELY KEEP THAT IN MIND.
ONE THING I ANOTHER THING THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND BASED ON
YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IS
TRANSLATION FOR INDIGENOUS
INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION
FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES VERY
HARD TO FIND. AND I'D IMAGINE
THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS
MUCH DIFFERENT THAN MORE
COMMONLY SPOKEN LANGUAGES, AND
THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. SO WOULD
LOVE TO SEE SOME SOME DATA SOME
INFORMATION AS TO WHAT THOSE
COSTS COULD POTENTIALLY BE AS WE
TRY TO ASSIST MORE CALIFORNIANS
ACROSS THE STATE. ABSOLUTELY
WE'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND. THANK
YOU. THIS ITEM IS FOR
PRESENTATION ONLY AND APPRECIATE
YOU BOTH TAKING THE TIME.
WELCOME TO SELL FOUR AND WELCOME
TO YOUR NEW POSITIONS AND REALLY
HOPE THAT THIS IS A BOLD NEW
STEP FOR CALIFORNIA AS WE TRY TO
ACCOMMODATE AND REALLY ENSURE
THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE
RESOURCES FOR ALL PEOPLE. SO
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE POT. THE
COLLABORATION AND WHAT THE STAFF
AND CONTINUE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE AND
CONVERSATION AND COMING BACK TO
SHARE UPDATES WITH YOU. AND
WITHOUT PLANNING MORNING AND I
BOTH WERE OUR ASSEMBLY GREEN
TODAY. SO GOOD JOB. GREAT TO BE
HERE WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR THE
PRESENTATION. WE'RE NOT FROM THE
COMMENTS. WE WILL NOW BE
ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE
HEARING ROOM AND ON THE PHONE
THE PHONE NUMBER TO CONNECT US
ON THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE AND
SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE SCREEN IF
YOU ARE WATCHING OVER THE
INTERNET. THE TOLL FREE NUMBER
IS 877692895. PUBLIC ACCESS CODE
IS 1315447. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC
COMMENT IN THE HEARING ROOM? SEE
NONE. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE PHONE
OPERATOR, YOU MAY BEGIN. IF
YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT,
PLEASE PRESS 10 AT THIS TIME. BE
ONE MOMENT WE COLLECTED LINE
NUMBER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE'RE GONNA LINE NUMBER 20,
PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, AND FAMILY MEMBERS
AND CHAIR CARILLO. MY NAME IS
FRANKLY, I'M WITH ASIAN
AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE,
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AS SOCIAL
JUSTICE ORGANIZATION THAT
PROTECTS THE DRINK AND THE
RIGHTS OF API COMMUNITIES. ALSO
LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
COMMUNITY IN LA AND OC IN
VARIOUS ASIAN LANGUAGES. WE
THINK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE
SPECIFICALLY CHAIR CARILLO AND
YOUR STAFF ON YOUR LEADERSHIP TO
ENSURE LMP CALIFORNIANS HAVE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL
PROCESS. AND SHARE COOLIO FOR
YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENT ABOUT
HAVING IN HEALTH INTERPRETERS
INSTEAD OF VENDORS. WE KNOW THAT
IT IS DIFFICULT OFFENSIVE BUILT
VACANCIES AND VARIOUS AGENCIES
PROVIDE IN LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND SOME
SPECIFICALLY, NOT SO COMMON
LANGUAGES AND INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY AND SOME ASIAN
COMMUNITIES ARE DIFFICULT TO
FIND INTERPRETERS WHO CAN
PROVIDE INTERPRETING SERVICES
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH
ALSO MEANS THAT MANY LLP,
CALIFORNIANS ACTUALLY GO TO
THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED
PHYSICIANS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND
IN LANGUAGE SERVICES, SUCH AS
THE PRIME FOR EDDIE AND
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. MEDICAL
APPLICATIONS. THEREFORE I URGE
THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMUNITY
COMMITTEE TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY
OFTEN ACCESS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN
LMP CALIFORNIANS AND
GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES.
SPECIFICALLY I ASKED THIS BUDGET
COMMITTEE AND THE OVERALL BUDGET
COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT A BUDGET
ASSETS CURRENTLY IN PROCESS THAT
WOULD ALLOCATE $5 MILLION TO
ESTABLISH THE BILINGUAL,
ORIENTAL ORIENTED SOCIAL EQUITY
SERVICES SCRAPPED. TO PROVIDE
CBOS RESOURCES TO PAY THEIR
BILINGUAL STAFF, A BILINGUAL PAY
AND SUSTAINED THE BILINGUAL
WORKFORCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME. WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
COLLEAGUES IN QUÊ. THANK YOU
APPRECIATE, UM EVERYONE'S
PATIENCE TODAY AS WE TRY TO BE
IN DIFFERENT PLACES AT THE SAME
TIME DURING ONE OF THE MOST
BUSIEST MONTHS OF THE
LEGISLATURE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO
ALL OUR PANELISTS AND OUR FOLKS
PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS
BUDGETS OF FOUR COMMITTEE
HEARING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
BASEBALL.
OKAY?