WE LIKE TO CALL ASSEMBLY BUDGET
SUBCOMITTEE NUMBER SIX ON PUBLIC
SAFETY TO ORDER AND GOOD
AFTERNOON. TODAY WE'LL BE
COVERING ISSUES FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, MILITARY
DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES. ALL PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END
OF OUR LAST ITEM, AND EACH
PERSON WILL HAVE UP TO ONE
MINUTE EACH FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY VOTES
TODAY. SPEAKERS ARE LISTED AND
SPEAKING ORDER FOR EACH OF THE
ITEMS. PLEASE KEEP YOUR REMARKS
WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME.
COMMUNICATED TO YOU BY MY STAFF
AND REMEMBER TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES PRIOR TO SPEAKING. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE. FOR THE FIRST THREE
ISSUES. WE WILL HAVE THE SAME
GROUP OF PANELISTS. ALL THREE
ITEMS. PANELISTS CHRIS RYAN.
CHIEF OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE ASHLEY HARP, BUDGET
OFFICER DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ANTHONY FRANZA DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE EMMA JUNG. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE AND ANITA LEE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS OFFICE.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, MR RYAN. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR CHRIS RYAN WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, CHIEF
OF THE DIVISION OF OPERATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT OUR BUDGET ITEMS TO
YOU TODAY. AND IF THERE'S ANY
ISSUES WITH THE MICROPHONE,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW. UM BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT. UH,
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS
PRIMARILY MADE UP OF FOUR
PROGRAM AREAS IN THE LEGAL
SERVICES DIVISION. THE DIVISION
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE
CALIFORNIA JUSTICE INFORMATION
SERVICES DIVISION AND
ADMINISTRATION. THE DEPARTMENT'S
PROPOSED BUDGET IS ONE POINT
THREE BILLION, APPROXIMATELY 4%
LESS THAN THE CURRENT YEAR'S
RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
APPROXIMATELY 38% OF OUR
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS GENERAL
FUND AND THE REMAINING BUDGET
COMES FROM APPROXIMATELY 35
SPECIAL FUNDS. THE PROPOSED
BUDGET INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY
5900 POSITIONS ACROSS THE STATE
IN VARIOUS OFFICE BUILDINGS.
LABS FIELD OFFICES TASK FORCES
ACROSS THE STATE FROM SAN DIEGO
TO THE OREGON BORDER. THE LEGAL
DIVISION OR LEGAL SERVICES
DIVISION, AS WE REFER TO IT IS
MADE UP OF THE OFFICE OF GENERAL
COUNSEL, OUR CIVIL LAW DIVISION,
CRIM DIVISION, PUBLIC RIGHTS AND
OUR DIVISION OF MEDICAL FRAUD
AND ELDER ABUSE. THE DIVISION OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS AS IT SOUNDS,
OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION AND
WE HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE TODAY
THAT WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT
SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND
THEN OUR CALIFORNIA JUSTICE
INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION IS
OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND
ALSO THE DIVISION THAT COLLECTS
MANY OF THE CRIME STATISTICS AND
DATA RELATIVE TO OUR MANDATES
THROUGHOUT THE PENAL CODE
SECTIONS. SO WITH ME TODAY IS
ASHLEY HARP, OUR BUDGET OFFICER,
AND WE'RE PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT
ANY OF OUR BUDGET PROPOSALS. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER TESTIMONY. NOT THIS
TIME. ALL RIGHT. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. ANTHONY FOY DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE NÓ ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
JUST A COUPLE. UH, QUESTIONS. UM
THAT I WOULD HAVE IS HOW MANY
TOTAL BUDGETED POSITIONS DOES
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAVE
THAT'S ONE? AND CAN YOU TELL US
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE VACANT? SO
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 5900
POSITION, AUTHORIZED POSITIONS
IN OUR BUDGET AND IN TERMS OF
VACANCIES, I DON'T HAVE THE
EXACT NUMBER WITH ME. IT KIND OF
EBBS AND FLOWS. UM, BUT IT RUNS
AT APPROXIMATELY 12% DEPARTMENT
WIDE. UM, BUT WE COULD
DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE STAFF. UM
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND
AS YOU GET THAT INFORMATION
BACK, COULD WE ALSO LOOK AT WHAT
AREAS? WE'RE SEEING THE MOST
VACANCIES, UH, AT WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN THOSE
AREAS. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON
TO, UM, ISSUE TWO. THANK YOU. I
THINK ANTHONY IS GONNA LEAVE
THAT. YEAH CORRECT. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR. RAMOS MEMBERS
OF THE SUB COMMITTEE. UH, MY
NAME IS ANTHONY FZO. AND AS YOU
SAID, UM, I WILL BE PRESENTING
ON ISSUE NUMBER TWO, SO TO
ADDRESS THE PROJECTED BUDGET
SHORTFALL. THE 2024 25
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET INCLUDES A
BUDGETARY LOAN OF $100 MILLION
FROM THE LITIGATION DEPOSITS
FUND OR THE L Dð F TO THE
GENERAL FUND IN 2425 FROM IDLE
RESOURCES NOT REQUIRED FOR
CURRENTLY PROJECTED OPERATIONAL
OR PROGRAMMATIC PURPOSES. THIS
IS IN ADDITION TO THE $400
MILLION BUDGETARY LOAN THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE 2020 THREE
BUDGET ACT AGAIN FROM THE L Dð F
TO THE GENERAL FUND, UH, FOR
TOTAL LOAN OF $500 MILLION TO
CLARIFY Dð Ó J AND THE
ADMINISTRATION DON'T INTEND FOR
THESE LOANS TO EITHER NEGATIVELY
IMPACT THE L Dð F OR THE VARIOUS
SPECIAL FUNDS RECEIVING
RESOURCES FROM THE L Dð F OR TO
SIGNAL ANY TYPE OF ONGOING
INTRODUCTIONS. UM, THESE LOANS
ARE PURELY INTENDED AS TOOLS TO
HELP CLOSE THE BUDGET SHORTFALL.
AND UNLESS SOMETHING RADICAL
CHANGES IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS,
UH, WE AGREE THE PROPOSED $100
MILLION LOAN IS VIABLE. UH, FOR
THAT PROPOSED LOAN. WE MADE THE
DECISION TO USE THE L Dð F, UH,
AS A SOURCE OF THE LOAN, GIVEN
THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION
AT THE TIME DURING THE BUDGET
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. UM HOWEVER,
IN THE L A Ó, UH, WE'LL SPEAK
TO THIS. UH, NOW THAT Dð Ó J
HAS TRANSFERRED MANY RESOURCES
OUT OF THE L Dð F, UH, PURSUANT
TO CHAPTER 45 STATUTES OF 2023,
WHICH IS A B 127. THE STATE
GOVERNMENT TRAILER BILL FROM
LAST YEAR WERE REED OUR PROPOSAL
AND ASSESSING WHICH OF THE
SPECIAL FUNDS THAT RECEIVE
RESOURCES FROM THE L Dð F. BE
MORE APPROPRIATE SOURCES FOR THE
LOAN. UH, AS PART OF THE MAYOR,
VISION WE WILL PROPOSE AGAIN IS
THE L A Ó RECOMMENDS AN UPDATE
TO THIS PROPOSED LOAN THAT USES
THE VARIOUS SPECIAL FUNDS AS
SOURCES FOR THE LOANS RATHER
THAN THE L Dð F ITSELF. SO THAT
CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS AND HAVE
IT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? THANK
YOU, UM FOR THAT, UM ANY OTHER
AS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. AS WE MOVE ON TO THE I
ITALY WITH THE L Ó. UM, IF
YOU'D LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED
FOR YOU ON THE AGENDA STARTING
ON PAGE SIX. WE DO HAVE THREE
RECOMMENDATIONS. UM, FOR YOU ON
THIS ISSUE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. SORRY Dð Ó F
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE IS ALREADY
KIND OF BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON A FEW
OF THEM. SO FIRST WE DO
RECOMMEND THAT THE LEGISLATURE
REJECT THE PROPOSAL TO BORROW AN
ADDITIONAL 100 MILLION FROM THE
L Dð F AND HAVE THAT AS A LOAN
TO THE GENERAL FUND, AS WE
BELIEVE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR
THE FUND TO SUPPORT IT, AND WE
DON'T THINK IT'S AN IDEAL SOURCE
. UM IN COMBINATION. THIS IS
BECAUSE AS UM ANTHONY MENTIONED
AS PART OF THE 2023 24 BUDGET,
THE LEGISLATURE MADE VARIOUS
CHANGES TO INCREASE OVERSIGHT OF
THE L Dð F AND THE LITIGATION
DEPOSIT MONIES. AND SO MOST
NOTABLY, ONE OF THOSE ACTIONS
WAS THE REQUIREMENT TO TRANSFER
MOST LITIGATION FUNDS ASSOCIATED
WITH GENERALLY RESOLVED CASES,
TWO STATE SPECIAL FUNDS THAT
WERE SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE
OVERSIGHT. AND SO THAT'S BEEN
ACCOMPLISHED. IN ADDITION TO
THAT THERE IS THE $400 MILLION
LOAN THAT WAS APPROVED AS PART
OF THE LAST YEAR BUDGET. SO IN
COMBINATION THIS LEAVES AS OF
DECEMBER 2023 ABOUT 100 AND 57
MILLION LEFT IN THE L Dð F. BUT
ALL OF THOSE MEN ARE GENERALLY
TIED TO CASES WHERE THEY'RE
EITHER VERY NARROW PURPOSES FOR
THEIR USE OR UNRESOLVED CASES.
SO WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S AN
IDEAL SOURCE TO BORROW FROM.
INSTEAD WE THINK THAT THE Dð Ó.
THERE'S THERE ARE FOUR Dð Ó J
SPECIAL FUNDS THAT RECEIVED
ABOUT 455 MILLION IN TRANSFERS
FROM THE L Dð F, AND WE THINK
THAT THOSE ARE BETTER SOURCES TO
BORROW FROM AND SO IN LINE WITH
THAT OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION
IS FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO DIRECT
Dð Ó J TO PROVIDE BY MAY
REVISION A LIST OF THE CASES
WHOSE LITIGATION PROCEEDS COULD
BE USED TO SUPPORT AN ADDITIONAL
$100 MILLION LOAN, ALONG WITH A
SPECIAL FUND FROM WHICH THOSE
CASES WOULD BE COMING FROM IN
COMPILING THAT LIST THAT WOULD
ALLOW Dð Ó J TO EXAMINE ITS
CURRENT AND FUTURE LITIGATION
ACTIVITIES, AND TO IDENTIFY HOW
MUCH COULD BE BORROWED FROM ONE
OR MORE OF FOUR Dð Ó J SPECIAL
FUNDS THAT THESE DOLLARS WITHOUT
IMPACTING THEIR OPERATIONAL
ACTIVITIES. THIS LIST IS ALSO
GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR
THE LEGISLATURE TO MONITOR
REPAYMENTS OF THE MONIES TO MAKE
SURE WHEN WE GET THE MONEY BACK,
THEY'RE USED CONSISTENT WITH THE
UNDERLYING COURT SETTLEMENTS AND
COURT JUDGMENTS FOR THOSE CASES.
SO THEN OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION
IS FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO TAKE
THAT LIST THAT Dð Ó J WOULD
PROVIDE MAKE ANY CHANGES YOU
THINK ARE NECESSARY AND THEN
MODIFY THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET TO
REFLECT THOSE LOANS FROM THE
INDIVIDUAL SPECIAL FUNDS RATHER
THAN THE L Dð F FOR ANY LOAN
THAT IS MADE FROM A SPECIAL FUND
. WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THE
LEGISLATURE INCLUDE REPORTING
LANGUAGE SUCH AS IF THERE ARE
ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF
THE MONIES, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO
THE LANGUAGE THAT WE REQUIRED
FOR THAT $400 MILLION LOAN, AND
SO THAT REPORTING LANGUAGE IS
REALLY HELPFUL. OR BECAUSE IT
WOULD HELP THE LEGISLATURE
MONITOR, UM BASICALLY THE STATUS
OF THE LOAN REPAYMENTS AND THEN
ENSURE THAT ANY MONIES THAT COME
BACK ARE USED APPROPRIATELY ONCE
THEY'RE REPAID. HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. THANK YOU ANY OTHER
TESTIMONY? HERE NOW. I THANK THE
COLLABORATION, UH, MOVING
FORWARD SOME OF THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WORKING
TOGETHER TO BRING BACK TO, UM,
THIS COMMITTEE. UM SOME OF THOSE
ITEMS THAT, UM COULD FURTHER
HAVE DISCUSSION ON THANK YOU FOR
THAT. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM
THREE. MISTER RYAN. LOOKS LIKE
YOU'RE BACK UP. I'M GONNA DEFER
TO MY COLLEAGUE ASHLEY HARP FOR
THE PRESENTATION HERE ON THIS
ONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASHLEY, HAR BUDGET OFFICER WITH
Dð Ó J. UM THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE IN COLLABORATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER
AFFAIRS REQUEST TRAILER BILL TO
IMPLEMENT A FEE INCREASE FROM $9
TO $15 TO SUPPORT CONTINUED
OPERATION OF THE MANDATED
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE UTILIZATION
REVIEW AND EVALUATION SYSTEM,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CURE
SYSTEM. THE FEE INCREASE IS
REQUIRED DUE TO A RECENT
REDUCTION IN THE FEE FROM $11 TO
$9 IN APRIL. 2020 THREE,
COMBINED WITH INCREASING
TECHNOLOGY, VENDOR COSTS AND
STANDARD OPERATIONAL COST
INCREASES. WELCOME YOUR
QUESTIONS ON THIS PROPOSAL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. THE JUST A FEW
QUESTIONS. UM IS THERE A REASON
WHY THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN A
TRAILER BILL AND NOT THROUGH A
POLICY BILL? AT THE DEPARTMENT
PROPOSED THIS AS PART OF A
TRAILER BILL BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY
RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT'S
ABILITY TO, UM, EXPEND ITS
BUDGET. SO I TRIED DIRECTLY TO
THE BUDGET. YES WHAT DO YOU
THINK OF THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF
THE FEE IS NOT RAISED. UH,
ABSENT THE FEE INCREASE THE
DEPARTMENT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
OPERATING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF
THE REDUCED $9 FEE. UM, WHICH IS
INSUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT OUR
CURRENT OPERATIONS. UM
PARTICULARLY OUR STAFF COSTS
AND, UH, VENDOR CONTRACTS. THANK
YOU. IF SON THANK, UM ALL THE
PANELISTS FOR ISSUES 123 AND
FOUR AS NOW WE MOVE ON. TO ISSUE
FOR THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK
YOU. 12 AND THREE. WE MOVE ON TO
ISSUE FOUR FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM AND DRUG INTERDICTION,
CONTINUATION PROPOSAL AND UPDATE
STAN WORLEY, DIRECTOR BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE MICHAEL REDDING, SPECIAL
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, MAJOR
GENERAL MATTHEW BEAVERS. UM,
GENERAL MILITARY DEPARTMENT.
JARED SIPPLE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYSIS OFFICE. JESSE ROMAIN
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
ANTHONY. FOR A ZONA DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. GO AHEAD, MR WORLEY.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR RAMOS AND
DISTINGUISHED, UH, HONORABLE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. GREETINGS
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. MY NAME
IS STEVEN WOOLERY, AND I'M, THE
DIRECTOR FOR THE BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION. ALSO ONE
RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL
REDDING, SPECIAL ASSISTANT
ATTORNEY GENERAL AT Dð Ó J. IT
IS INDEED MY HONOR TO BE HERE
TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU TO PROVIDE
A, UH, FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM, OR FEP UPDATE THE THREE
Dð JFP TEAMS ARE STRATEGICALLY
LOCATED IN SAN DIEGO. LOS
ANGELES. IN THE BAY AREA. Dð Ó
J SAN DIEGO FEP TEAM IS
EMBEDDED. WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY. HOMELAND
SECURITY INVESTIGATION. TASK
FORCE. THIS TASK FORCE IS CALLED
THE FENTANYL ABATEMENT
SUPPRESSION. TEAM. OR FAST. THE
FAST TASK FORCE WITH F IS
CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS AT THE
US MEXICO BORDER IN SAN DIEGO
AND IMPERIAL COUNTY. THESE
INVESTIGATIONS TARGET MIDDLE TO
UPPER LEVEL FENTANYL SMUGGLERS
WHO TRANSPORT LARGER FENTANYL
QUALITY QUANTITIES DIRECTLY FROM
MEXICO INTO CALIFORNIA.
UTILIZING THE PORTS OF ENTRY.
AND I CAN SHOW YOU THAT SAN
DIEGO ALONE. UH, SINCE THE FEP
TEAM WAS STOOD UP, HAD SEIZED
OVER 11 MILLION FENTANYL PILLS.
NEXT, THE LOS ANGELES TEAM FULLY
STAFFED AND ESSENTIALLY SERVES
THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UH, AREA
WORKING WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS
THE ORANGE THE ORANGE COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH TO THE
SOUTH, UH, THE SAN BERNARDINO,
UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO THE EAST
AND, UH, ALL THE WAY UP TO SAN
LUIS OBISPO, UH, COUNTY TO THE
NORTH PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY, THE
LOS ANGELES TEAM IS CONDUCTING
FENTANYL INVESTIGATIONS OR
PARTNERING IN AN AD HOC WAY.
WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO AUGMENT
RESOURCES. AUTHORITIES. AND THE
EXPERTISE. FOR AN ASSORTMENT OF
IMPACTFUL ENFORCEMENT
ACTIVITIES. AND LASTLY, THE BAY
AREA TEAM. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY
OUR NEWEST TEAM. UH, OF THE
THREE TEAMS, UH, IN TERMS OF
BEING, UH, FULLY STAFFED, THEIR
WORK IS INTEGRATED ALREADY INTO
THE FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT
INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY IN THE
GREATER BAY AREA. SPECIFICALLY
THE BAY AREA TEAM IS WORKING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY. ALAMEDA COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THE OAKLAND
POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH AMONGST
MANY OTHER, UH LOCAL AGENCIES,
AND THEN AS I CLOSE, I JUST WANT
TO SHARE WITH YOU. A FEW, UH,
DATA POINTS IN TERMS OF UH ARE
ARE STATISTICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THE NUMBER OF
FENTANYL PILLS THAT WE'VE SEIZED
IS, UH, WELL NORTH OF 1 MILLION
PILLS. IN TERMS OF FENTANYL
POWDER. WE'VE SEIZED 100 AND
£65. OF FENTANYL POWDER. IN
TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS
WE'VE MADE 83. FELONY ARRESTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE 51 OPEN
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS ACROSS
THE STATE. AND AS I CONCLUDE,
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. WE'LL MOVE
NOW TO MICHAEL REDDING SPECIAL
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. UH, GOOD
AFTERNOON. UH, HONORED TO BE
HERE. MICHAEL REDDING SPECIAL
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL. I
HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO
DIRECTOR ROY'S TESTIMONY, BUT
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. MOVE ON TO MAJOR
GENERAL MATTHEW BEAVERS, UH,
GENERAL MILITARY DEPARTMENT.
ALMOST A PLEASURE TO BE HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME. I AM MATT BEAVER'S
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF
CALIFORNIA. UH, THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET THIS YEAR INCLUDES $15
MILLION APPROPRIATION. FY BUDGET
YEAR 2425 AND ANOTHER $15
MILLION APPROPRIATION BUDGET
YEAR. 2526 THAT'S THE SUPPORT
FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND TRIBAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO
INTERDICT DANGEROUS AND LETHAL
NARCOTICS, INCLUDING FENTANYL.
WITH THE PREVIOUS APPROPRIATION.
THEY'VE HAD THE LAST TWO YEARS
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD MORE THAN
100 SERVICE MEMBERS TO THE
PROGRAM AND DEPLOY SERVICE
MEMBERS INTO KEY AREAS ACROSS
THE STATE, INCLUDING THE FOUR
PORTS OF ENTRY ALONG OUR
SOUTHERN BORDER SUPPORT EFFORTS
TO INTERDICT FENTANYL IN CITIES
LIKE SAN FRANCISCO AND ADD
ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL ANALYSTS AT
ALL FOUR OF THE STATE'S HIGH
INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING
AREAS. THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE
SEEN EXTRAORDINARY RETURN ON THE
STATE'S INVESTMENT MORE THAN
1000% INCREASE IN CAL GUARD
SUPPORTED SEIZURES SINCE 2021.
OUR WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES HAS RESULTED IN A
BILLION DOLLARS. OF FENTANYL
REMOVED FROM THE STREETS OF OUR
STATE AND OUT OF THE POCKETS OF
CARTEL BOSSES WITH THAT HAPPY TO
TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN
APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. UH, JESSE
ROMINE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
UH, THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD
LIKE TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE
OF PROVIDING CONTINUED SUPPORT
FOR THE COUNTER DRUG TASK FORCE
THROUGH 2526 THE INITIAL
INVESTMENT IN THE 22 BUDGET ACT
FOR THE COUNTER DRUG TASK FORCE,
AS MAJOR GENERAL HAD MENTIONED
HAD SUPPORTED ADDITIONAL SERVICE
MEMBERS THAT WERE ABLE TO HELP
WITH THE SEIZURE OF
APPROXIMATELY $1 BILLION WORTH
OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IN 2223, AS RE
AS THESE RESOURCES WOULD PROVIDE
CONTINUED SUPPORT, UH, PROVIDE
CONTINUED SUPPORT. THE
ADMINISTRATION IS SEEKING TO
SUSTAIN THE MILITARY
DEPARTMENT'S DRUG. PREDICTION.
EFFORTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR ANY
QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR
RAMOS WITH THE L A Ó, UH, FOR
THE, UH, MILITARY DEPARTMENTS.
DRUG INTERDICTION PROPOSAL. UH,
WE'RE GENERALLY RECOMMENDING
THAT THE LEGISLATURE WEIGH THIS
NEW GENERAL FUND PROPOSAL
AGAINST ITS OTHER LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES AS IT SEEKS TO
ADDRESS THE STATE'S BUDGET
PROBLEM. UM ON THE ONE HAND AS
GENERAL BEAVERS HAS NOTED, CMD
HAS PROVIDED DATA THAT SHOW THAT
FENTANYL AND METHAMPHETAMINE
SEIZURES HAVE INCREASED SINCE
THE STATE PROVIDED THIS NEW
STATE FUNDING A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO. THIS DATA IS PROMISING, AND
THE PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE MERIT IF
ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN FEWER DRUG
USERS GETTING ACCESS TO THESE
DANGEROUS DRUGS, ON THE OTHER
HAND, IF EFFECTIVE, INCREASED
DRUG COUNTER DRUG EFFORTS HAVE
THE EFFECT OF REDUCING SUPPLY,
WHICH CAN LEAD TO HIGHER DRUG
PRICES, AND SO HIGHER DRUG
PRICES CAN HAVE UNINTENDED
EFFECTS, DEPENDING ON HOW DRUG
TRAFFICKERS OR DRUG USERS
RESPOND TO THESE HIGHER PRICES.
MOREOVER AS OUR OFFICE HAS
REPORTED, THE STATE IS FACING A
BUDGET PROBLEM, AND THIS
PROPOSAL WOULD ADD GENERAL FUND
PRESSURE OVER THE NEXT TWO
YEARS. WE THEREFORE THINK THE
LEGISLATURE WILL WANT TO APPLY A
HIGHER TO ITS REVIEW OF NEW
GENERAL GENERAL FUND PROPOSALS,
ESPECIALLY ONES SUCH AS THIS
THAT ARE CONSIDERED
DISCRETIONARY BECAUSE THE STATE
COULD CONTINUE TO RELY ON
FEDERALLY FUNDED EFFORTS IN THE
NEAR TERM. AND SO WITH ALL OF
THESE POINTS IN MIND, UH, WE
JUST THINK ALL OF THESE ARE
IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED AS A LEGISLATURE
WEIGHS THIS PROPOSAL. UH WE
WOULD NOTE THAT IF THE
LEGISLATURE DOES APPROVE THIS
PROPOSAL, IT WOULD LIKELY NEED
TO FIND OFFSETTING REDUCTIONS
ELSEWHERE IN THE BUDGET IN LIGHT
OF THE STATE'S BUDGET PROBLEM,
AND WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. DEPARTMENT OF WOULD YOU
LIKE TO RESPOND? NÓ NÓ. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK
YOU FOR THE, UM THE TOPIC AND
THE PANELISTS THAT ARE HERE AND
WE ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF
THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP AND
THE STATE LEGISLATURE'S
LEADERSHIP ON THE FENTANYL
CRISIS IN THIS EPIDEMIC IN THE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN IN
ADDITION, THE ENFORCEMENT
ACTIVITIES LED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE AND THE CALIFORNIA
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE
WE ALSO NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION
APPROACH SO THAT PEOPLE TRULY
UNDERSTAND HOW DEADLY THIS DRUG
IS, UM FOR AN OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
. I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN HOW A
LITTLE BIT OF POWDER NEXT TO A
PENNY WAS A LETHAL DOSE. I THINK
MORE EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE DONE
IN THAT ASPECT OF IT. YOU ALSO
MENTIONED UM WITHIN THE FUNDING
ASPECT. THERE'S OUTREACH TO
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. CAN YOU
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON
THAT HOW THAT OUTREACH IS
HAPPENING, AND IF THERE'S ANY,
UH, SUCCESS OR BARRIERS THAT WE
NEED TO ADDRESS SO I'LL ATTACK
THAT QUESTION IN TWO FOLD NUMBER
ONE. WE DO SUPPORT THE TRIBES,
UH, IN A COUPLE OF FASHIONS
FIRST UNDER THE HIGH INTENSITY
DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS, SO WE'VE
OPERATED AS FAR NORTH AS HOOPA
IN THE NORTH COLI IN THE SOUTH,
BUT PRIMARILY OUR WORK IS DONE
BY THROUGH AND FOR THE HIGH
INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS
WHERE WE PROVIDE CRIMINAL
ANALYSTS TO GET AFTER
UNDERSTANDING THE CRIMINAL
NETWORKS THAT ARE OPERATING
ACROSS THE STATE NOT ONLY IN THE
TRIBES BUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE
STATE TRIBAL NATIONS, BUT ACROSS
THE ENTIRE STATE. UH SO I WOULD
FOR THAT, UH, IT'S REALLY TWO
FOLD. WE DO DO ENGAGEMENT
SPECIFICALLY AT TRIBAL NATIONS.
UM BUT PRIMARILY OUR WORK IS
DONE BY THROUGH AND FOR THE HIGH
INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING
AREAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE
COLLABORATION. WE KNOW THAT SOME
OF THOSE AREAS DO BORDER, UM,
TERRITORY IN THOSE AREAS THAT
NEED TO HAVE RESOURCES. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT, BUT ALSO, UM, I
GUESS TO, UM MR WOOLERY, UM, CAN
YOU TELL ME GEOGRAPHICALLY WHERE
YOU ARE SEEING THE LARGEST
PROPORTION OF FENTANYL SEIZED
AND PEOPLE ARRESTED. YES SO, I,
I CAN SPEAK TO WHERE, UH, Dð Ó
J RESOURCES ARE AND HOW, UH, YOU
KNOW, WE IMPACT THOSE AGENCIES.
SO SAN DIEGO AND L A. SO
ESSENTIALLY, UH, SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA IS WHERE WE SEE, UH,
THE LARGEST SEIZURES AND THAT'S
WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST OF OUR
ARRESTS ARE CONCENTRATED IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHERS WANT TO ELABORATE ON
THAT, OR BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE
ONE MORE POINT. YOU TALKED ABOUT
EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND I.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT WITHIN OUR
COUNTER NARCOTICS PROGRAM IN THE
MILITARY DEPARTMENT, WE ENGAGE
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
TO THE RATE OF 100 AND 77
DIFFERENT STUDENTS. THERE'S
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PROBABLY 100
AND 50,000. INDIVIDUAL MIDDLE
AND HIGH SCHOOL FOLKS THAT WE'VE
ENGAGED OVER THE LAST FEDERAL
FISCAL YEAR, UH, WITH A MESSAGE
OF RESILIENT LIVING, UM, THIS IS
NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S JUST SAY
NÓ TO DRUGS PROGRAM. THIS IS
REALLY GETTING INTO THE WEEDS
AND TRYING TO CHANGE THESE KIDS.
UH, ATTITUDES TO LIVE AAA
MEANINGFUL LIFE TO LEAD A LIFE
WHERE YOU CAN, YOU CAN STAY AWAY
FROM FROM NARCOTICS BY BUILDING
THOSE RESILIENT UH, RESILIENCY
CAN BE TAUGHT AND WE ARE
TEACHING IT, UH, TO FOLKS TO
KIDS ACROSS WELL, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND IT IT
LEADS TO ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU
KNOW, FENTANYL HAS COME AND IT'S
BEEN AT THE, UM, HIGHLIGHT OF
DIFFERENT NEWS, AND IT'S IN THE
IMPACTING ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SO
THE EDUCATION COMPONENT IS BIG
THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO
THAT. BUT ALSO WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT ADEQUATE RESOURCES ARE
BEING UM, GIVEN TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUE. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
ADEQUATE RESOURCES, UM, ARE IN
THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, OR DO YOU
BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE
MORE DOWN IN THE FUTURE YEARS.
ONGOING FUNDING. YEAH. GO AHEAD.
YEAH UH, JESSE ROINE DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. I CAN SPEAK TO THE,
UH, MILITARY DEPARTMENT AND
GENERALLY THE BUDGET PLAN THAT
WE HAVE. SORRY WE'RE REACHING
OVER. UH, J IN GENERALLY, THE
BUDGET PLAN. UM ON èC FOR èC M
Dð S¼ INVESTMENT. IT'S REALLY
SEEKING TO PROVIDE CONTINUED
SUPPORT TO WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN
2022. SO IN BEING MINDFUL OF THE
EXISTING BUDGET SITUATION, THE
BUDGET REALLY PROVIDES JUST A
CONTINUATION OF THAT SUPPORT. WE
UNDERSTAND, UH WHAT THE OUTCOMES
WERE WITH THE 2022 INVESTMENT
AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM,
WHICH IS WHY THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET REFLECTS THESE RESOURCES.
CHAIRMAN I'D SAY FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S
PERSPECTIVE ALWAYS MORE
INVESTMENT IS ALWAYS GOING TO
LEAD TO MORE RESULTS. THAT SAID,
UH, THE INVESTMENT THAT UH, YOU
ALL PUT IN TWO YEARS AGO IS
REALLY STARTING TO BEAR FRUIT AT
THE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE REALLY
STARTING TO SEE BOTH IN TERMS OF
STAFFING UP AND IN TERMS OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF LONG TERM
INVESTIGATIONS THAT WERE REALLY
AT A POINT WHERE THINGS ARE
COOKING FOR LACK OF A BETTER
WORD. UM SO AT THIS POINT, I
THINK WE'RE WE'RE VERY SATISFIED
WITH WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND,
UH, EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT BUDGET
ALLOCATION. THANK YOU. AND THE
QUESTION IS BASED AROUND
CONSISTENT FUNDING. UM, BECAUSE
THE PROJECT OR FENTANYL HAS BEEN
AROUND NOW FOR, UM IT'S STILL
FRESH RIGHT, SO WE DON'T KNOW
HOW IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO PLAY
OUT. SO CONTINUING. UH, FUNDING.
UM I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT'S
DRASTICALLY NEEDED. AND THANK
YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. UM, WE SEE THAT
THAT'S A BIG, BIG AREA WHEN YOU
START TO LOOK AT THE CHARTS THAT
ARE HERE IN THIS DOCUMENT, WE
SEE THAT PER CAPITA WISE NATIVE
AMERICANS ARE AFFECTED HIGHER
THAN ANY OTHERS HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MY
COLLEAGUES? I DON'T REMEMBER.
LACKEY YEAH, THANK YOU. CHAIR I
DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION, I.
I DO HAVE JUST A REMINDER THAT
THIS IS ONE OF THE ASPECTS WHERE
ENFORCEMENT IS ACTUALLY A FORM
OF PREVENTION. AND THAT SOUNDS
ODD, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY FACTUAL.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
COMMODITY THAT WE ARE THAT IS SO
ABSOLUTELY POISONOUS. IT'S NOT
JUST, UH UTILIZED FOR IMPAIRMENT
OR PARTIES CIRCUMSTANCES IT'S
ACTUALLY A DEADLY POISON. AND A
LOT OF TIMES THE CONSUMER HAS NÓ
IDEA THAT IT'S EVEN PRESENT. UM
AND THAT'S REALLY A CALAMITY AND
SO IN THE EDUCATION ASPECT,
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S THAT'S ONE
OF THE ASPECTS. IT'S HARD TO
MEASURE. BECAUSE YOU DON'T
REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU PREVENTED.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, BUT I REALLY
DO THINK WE NEED TO INVEST
HEAVILY ON THE PREVENTION ASPECT
BY WAY OF ENFORCEMENT AND
EDUCATION, AND THEY BOTH NEED TO
BE PARTNERS. AND I THINK TOO
OFTEN, WE'RE WE'RE COMFORTABLE.
JUST, UH BUT THE EDUCATION
ASPECT AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT. DON'T DON'T DISCOUNT
WHAT OR MISUNDERSTAND WHAT I'M
SAYING. BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN
IMPORTANT COMPONENT. HOWEVER, IT
NEEDS TO BE COUPLED WITH
ENFORCEMENT ACTION. AND THIS
MILITARY PRESENCE IS VERY, VERY
BIG PARTNER IN CURBING THESE
NUMBERS ARE IF THEY DON'T AWAKEN
YOU, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES
TO AWAKEN YOU. THE THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING IN
CALIFORNIA ONLY SO THIS IS A
NATIONAL PROBLEM. IT'S NOT JUST
HERE, BUT WE HAPPEN TO BE A
BORDER STATE. SO IT'S UH IT'S
PRETTY CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO,
UM STOP HERE AND BECAUSE THERE'S
PLENTY OF MARKET FOR IT, AND
THAT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR ALL OF
US, BUT, UH I JUST WANNA REMIND
EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS ONE OF
THE UNIQUE SITUATIONS WHERE
ENFORCEMENT IS ACTUALLY A
PREVENTION PREVENTIVE TOOL. AND
I HOPE WE'LL CONTINUE TO INVEST
BECAUSE I KNOW RIGHT NOW THERE'S
A EVERYBODY IS UP FOR, UH, BEING
CUT EVERYBODY WITH THE WITH THE
ENORMITY OF THIS PARTICULAR, UH,
BUDGET CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING
LIVES, I THAT'S NOT THE PLACE TO
CUT FOLKS. I MEAN THAT THAT'S
REALLY IF WE CUT WE NEED TO BE
VERY, VERY PRUDENT IN THE WAY WE
DO IT. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL
WE'LL SEE THIS FOR WHAT IT
REALLY IS ENFORCEMENT AS A
PREVENTIVE TOOL, AND I HOPE
WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT.
THANK YOU, MR LACKEY. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANK YOU
FOR THE PANELISTS FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY, AND WE'LL BE MOVING
ON TO ISSUE FIVE. WE HAVE ERIC
SWANSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, Kò
Ó, E S¼, UH, VÆ W N DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. UM TESS SHIN BACK
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE DREW
SODERBERGH. LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS
OFFICE AND JARRETT S¼
LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS OFFICE.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR SWANSON WHENEVER
YOU'RE READY, UM GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR. RAMOS AND MEMBERS I'M
ERIC SWANSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FOR
Kò, Ó, E, S¼ AND, UH, WITH ME
NEXT TO ME WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
OUR DIRECTOR, UH, DANCE WARD.
SHE UH, WAS UNDER THE WEATHER
THIS MORNING, SO SHE WANTED TO
GIVE SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
ABOUT THE, UH UH, DEPARTMENT AND
SHE HOPES THAT SOME LATER POINT
SHE CAN DO THAT FOR THIS
COMMITTEE. UM GIVEN UH, THAT SHE
HOPES SHE INVITED BACK. I'M NOT
GOING TO RECREATE HER ENTIRE
UPDATE. BUT LET ME JUST GIVE YOU
SOME GENERAL. UH, UH, FACTS
ABOUT Ó E S¼. UH, WE'RE CHARGED
WITH ANTICIPATING PLANNING AND
PREPARING TO COORDINATE CRITICAL
RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES TO PROTECT
LIVES AND PROPERTY. AND TO
SUPPORT THEIR RECOVERY FROM
DISASTERS. AS YOU KNOW. OVER THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE STATE
HAS EXPERIENCED AN UNPRECEDENTED
NUMBER OF EMERGENCIES AND
DISASTERS, INCLUDING SEVERE
DROUGHT, CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES,
POWER GRID OUTAGES AND
CHALLENGES. EARTHQUAKES COVID-19
AND INTENSIVE STORMS WITH SEVERE
FLOODING. 15 OF THE MOST
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IN THE STATE'S
HISTORY HAVE OCCURRED SINCE 2015
WITH SEVEN OF THOSE OCCURRING IN
THE LAST FOUR YEARS. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSES THREE
BILLION DOLLARS OR 530 MILLION
GENERAL FUND AND 1909 POSITIONS
FOR Kò Ó E S¼. WE'D LIKE TO
THANK THIS COMMITTEE FOR YOUR
CONTINUED SUPPORT IN PROVIDING
RESOURCES TO ENSURE WE FULFILL
OUR ROLE SERVING AS THE STATE'S
LEADERSHIP HUB DURING ALL MAJOR
EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS. I
HAVE COLLEAGUES IN THE AUDIENCE
IF I NEED TO PHONE A FRIEND, BUT
I AM AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS
MOMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. HØI TESHA CAME BACK
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. WE'RE
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MIGHT HAVE. BUT NÓ COMMENTS AT
THIS TIME. THANK YOU. Ó NÓ
COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? FROM THE
DA COMMENTS. MR LACKEY. I HAVE
SOME CONCERNS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY
, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I, I
TRULY UNDERSTAND THE DEVASTATING
DEFICIT THAT WE'RE FACED WITH.
AND SO I KNOW THAT NÓ CUTS ARE
GONNA BE POPULAR EVER. BUT IT
SEEMS SOMETIMES WE COULD BE
PENNY RICH AND NICKEL. POOR IN
SOME OF THESE CUTS. WE NEED TO
BE CAREFUL. ON THAT, UH, THESE
THESE CUTS AREN'T GONNA RESULT
IN A GREATER COST THAN THAN THE
IMMEDIATE LOSS THAT WE GET. AND
THIS, UH, HOME HARDENING ONE AS
ONE OF THE ONES I'M TALKING
ABOUT, UH, WHEN WE WHEN WE
FAILED TO HARDEN THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES FROM THESE FIRES.
COME, UH, THE LOSSES ARE
POTENTIAL WELL. CLEARLY CLEARLY
GREATER. AND SO, I. I WORRY THAT
, UH, THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT
. MAYBE WE COULD BACK OFF. I'M
I'M NOT SAYING ELIMINATE THEM
COMPLETELY. BUT I'M SAYING MAYBE
SOFTEN SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF
THIS HOME HARDENING AND ALSO,
WHAT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE ON THE
CHOPPING BLOCK. AND TO COME TOO
COMFORTABLE OF A CUT, OR, UH,
THE ACTUAL VICTIMS OF CRIMES.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER. VERY UH,
ONEROUS CUT HERE, AND I'M HOPING
THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOFTEN
SOME OF THOSE AND MAYBE GO TO A
UM, AND A DIFFERENT CATEGORY TO
FIND THOSE EXTRA FUNDS TO, UH,
TO PULL BACK ON. UH, ONE THING
I'M I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED TO
SEE BECAUSE I THINK IT IT'S GONE
BUYBACK PROGRAM. UM I THINK
THAT'S A VERY INEFFECTIVE
PROGRAM TRUTHFULLY BECAUSE
USUALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
WILLING TO SELL THEIR GUNS
AREN'T THE ONES THAT ARE GOING
TO BE GOING TO SHOOT UP SCHOOLS.
UM AND NOT WHO WERE TRYING TO
CURB AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM I DON'T
KNOW, ADDRESS OR LACK OF A
BETTER TERM. AND SO I THINK THAT
THAT IS ONE TO BE VERY PROUD OF.
I'M VERY THANKFUL TO SEE THAT
THAT'S DONE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
THERE'S SOME OTHER FEELINGS
ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AND BUT THAT
THOSE ARE THE FEELINGS THAT I
SHARE. AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT
THIS IS A REALLY HARD TIME FOR
ALL OF US. SO I'M NOT GONNA BE
SUPER CRITICAL. I'M JUST MAKING
THAT REMARK AND THE FACT THAT,
UH I HOPE THAT WE CAN AT LEAST
CONSIDER THE RETURN ON SOME OF
THESE CUTS. I THINK THEY'RE MORE
IMPACTFUL THAN OTHERS. AND SO
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT ANY OTHER COMMENTS
FROM THE DÍAS? HERE AND NOW, AND
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ANY OTHER
TESTIMONY FROM THE PANELISTS AT
ALL? NÓ. SO IT'S A QUESTION ON
THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE ASKING IS,
UM, CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY OF
YOUR BUDGET POSITIONS ARE VACANT
? AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
ANSWER, PLEASE? UM FOLLOW
THROUGH WITH IT. YEAH I THINK
OUR, UH THE LAST CHECK I HAD OUR
VACANCY RATE WAS AROUND. UM UH,
20% I CAN GIVE THAT I KNOW. I
HEARD THE EARLIER TESTIMONY. I
CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU BY OUR OUR
DIRECTORATE SO HE CAN KIND OF
TAKE A FOCUSED APPROACH ON IT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS THE LAST
UPDATE. I HAD AND THEN WHAT
AREAS? UM ARE YOU SEEING THE
MOST VACANCY IN WHICH WHICH
DEPARTMENT IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO
RECRUIT FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
IT'S A TECHNICAL SKILL, AND IT'S
OFTEN A JOB THAT REQUIRES LONG
HOURS AND WILL REQUIRE FOLKS TO
HAVE CERTAIN SKILL SETS AND
SKILL IN CERTAIN SKILLS THAT ARE
SORT OF A NICHE, UM, POSITION
AND WE NEED THEM BOTH AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL.
SO THAT'S DIFFICULT. UM AND
ALWAYS, OF COURSE, IT'S THE
TYPICAL THINGS IN EVERY
DEPARTMENT EXPERIENCES. I Tð
POSITIONS OR ARE HARD TO RECRUIT
FOR, AND ALSO, UH, ENTRY LEVEL
POSITIONS. WHERE YOU KNOW
REQUIRES AT LEAST SOME UM SOME
STANDARD OF COLLEGE EDUCATION
AND STARTING OFF AT A LOWER JOB.
THOSE ARE HARD TO RECRUIT FOR AS
WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR
TESTIMONY AS WE NOW WE MOVE ON
TO ISSUE NUMBER SIX. WITH UM
ERIC SWANSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
FINANCE ADMINISTRATION. Kò Ó E,
GINA, UM B, CHERI, ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR, UH, GRANTS MANAGEMENT
Kò Ó E S¼, UH VÆ W DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE SHEEN, BECK, Tð Tð
CHEN BACK DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
DREW SODERBERGH LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST OFFICE JARED S¼ POOL
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE.
YEAH, FOR THIS NEXT ISSUE. UM IT
INVOLVES THE CALIFORNIA STATE
NONPROFIT UH, SECURITY GRANT
PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING
SUPPORT FOR TARGET TARGETING AND
OTHER PHYSICAL SECURITY
ENHANCEMENTS TO NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY'RE AT HIGH
RISK FOR VIOLENT ATTACKS AND
HATE CRIMES DUE TO IDEOLOGY,
BELIEFS OR MISSION. THE 2020
THREE BUDGET ACT APPROPRIATED 20
MILLION FOR THIS PROGRAM AND
THEN IN OCTOBER 2020 THREE THE
ADMINISTRATION WITH THE
CONCURRENCE OF THE LEGISLATURE
APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL 20
MILLION FOR SECURITY ASSISTANCE
TO PROVIDE NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS DOUBLING THE
PROGRAM FUNDING ALLOCATION.
CALLOS HAS RECEIVED MORE
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS GRANT THAN
WE HAVE FOR OUR GRANT PROGRAM IN
OUR ENTIRE HISTORY. WE'VE
RECEIVED 1250 PROPOSALS TOTALING
255.5 MILLION IN REQUESTS. THIS
SURPASSES LAST YEAR'S RECORD OF
751 PROPOSALS. USING IN HOUSE
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. WE HAVE
RATED THESE PROPOSALS AND ARE
ANTICIPATING AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR THE PROGRAM BY THE END OF
THIS MONTH. UH, AS YOU SAID, MY
COLLEAGUE, MS BORI, HARRINGTON
AND I ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, UM ANY
OTHER TESTIMONY ON THAT
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE?
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. THANK YOU.
AND WE KNOW THAT, UM THERE'S
BEEN A LOT OF, UH, REQUESTS AND
THOSE THINGS THERE WITH
EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE WORLD
AND THE NONPROFIT SITUATION
THAT'S THERE. BECAUSE OF THE
DELAY IN AWARDING THESE GRANTS,
AND WE ARE HEARING THAT
NONPROFITS ARE HOLDING OFF ON
PURCHASING SECURITY
ENHANCEMENTS. AS THEY ARE
WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL BE
AWARDED A GRANT OR NOT. WHAT IS
THE STATUS OF AND WHEN WILL
THESE AWARDS THESE GRANTS BE
AWARDED WILL GO OUT TO THE
NONPROFITS? YEAH. UM, UM I THINK
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS WE
AS A WE'VE RECEIVED SO MANY
APPLICATIONS THAT IT'S TAKEN US
A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE
EXPECTED TO GO THROUGH THOSE AND
RATE THOSE, UM, WE'VE DONE A
COUPLE OF THINGS IN THIS AREA.
UM ONE THING AND I'LL LET UH MS
BORING HERRINGTON. CORRECT ME IF
I'M WRONG, BUT WE EXTENDED, UH,
THE USE OF THE FUNDS PAST.
WHAT'S NORMAL FOR A GRANT? UH,
ALL THE WAY TO 2 DECEMBER 2025
25 MONTHS. SO UH, ALTHOUGH FOLKS
CAN START SPENDING IF THEY
RECEIVE THE AWARD ACTUALLY BACK
TO, UH, JANUARY. DECEMBER UH, WE
ARE EXTENDING THE AWARD, TOO. SO
YOU CAN SPEND FOR A LONGER
PERIOD OF TIME THAN TYPICALLY
FOR ANY FURTHER. SO HOW WOULD
THAT WORK BY EXTENDING IT? WOULD
THAT ALLOW THOSE NONPROFITS TO
START TO MOVE FORWARD ON
SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND THOSE
THINGS? YEAH SO THE GRANT IS
FUNDED ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
UH, WE TAKE THE PROPOSAL OF THE
GRANTEE. LOOK AT IT A LOT OF
TIMES IT'S A SECURITY
ENHANCEMENTS COULD BE FENCES. IT
COULD BE SECURITY GUARDS. IT
COULD BE CAMERAS COULD BE A
NUMBER OF THINGS. SOMETIMES IT'S
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. IT COULD
EVEN BE IT. UH, WE LOOK AT THAT
PLAN RATE THAT AND ACCORDING AND
LOOK AT ALSO THEIR RISK
ASSESSMENT, AND THEN WE AWARD
THOSE AWARDS. AND THEN AS THEY,
UM, IMPLEMENT THEIR PLAN THEY
SEND IN THEIR INVOICES. WE
REIMBURSE THEM WHAT WE'RE SAYING
. I THINK FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF
TIME IN THIS PARTICULAR GRANT,
WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THAT
REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS TO
CONTINUE. ESPECIALLY WHILE
BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH
NONPROFITS WHO AREN'T THE MOST
SAVVY IN TERMS OF, UH, ACCEPTING
GRANTS, AND, UH AND THE STATE
PROCESS AS WELL. AND IF ONCE
THEY, UH, RECEIVE NOTIFICATION
AS ERIC HAS MENTIONED, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR WE WILL BE ABLE TO RE
IF THEY HAVE SPENT MONEY ALREADY
ON TARGET HARDENING AND SECURITY
ENHANCEMENTS. THEY CAN SUBMIT
THEIR UM UH, REIMBURSEMENTS BACK
FROM DECEMBER 1ST. THANK YOU FOR
BEING VERY FLEXIBLE. THANK YOU
FOR THAT, AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS, UM,
INTERESTED IN MONITORING AS IT
GOES THROUGH, SO PLEASE KEEP OUR
COMMITTEE. UM APPRISED OF
ANYTHING THAT CONTINUES TO MOVE
FORWARD FOR THAT SAFETY. SOME OF
THE MEMBER MCCARTY YEAH. THANK
YOU. JUST MAYBE A FOLLOW UP. I'M
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THIS. I KNOW
THAT I YOU KNOW, WORK SUPPORTED
OUR NEW BUDGET CHAIR GABRIEL
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ON BEHALF
OF SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS HERE,
UM AND, UH, THE ISSUE WITH THE
WITH CASH ON HAND TO PUT IT UP
FRONT IS A REAL ONE FOR SOME OF
THE SMALLER ONES. MAYBE SOME OF
THE ONES IN L A THAT YOU MORE
WELL KNOWN ONES WHO CAME TO US
MAYBE HAD YOU KNOW, MIND THEIR
BANK TO DO THAT. SO WALK US
THROUGH HOW IT WORKS IN A
PRACTICAL TERM, IF YOU'RE IF
YOU'RE AN AWARDEE, DO YOU
ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE
PURCHASE AND GET A RECEIPT? WHAT
HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT
UP FRONT? JEAN ABUSER,
HARRINGTON, UH, SORE, UH, WHAT
WE ARE ALLOWING IS AN
ADVANCEMENT, ALSO OF 25% OF THE
AWARD SO THEY CAN GET AN
ADVANCEMENT IF THEY WOULD LIKE
TO USE THAT ADVANCEMENT TO PAY
FOR ANY PURCHASES. SO ONCE THEY
ARE, UM, AWARDED THEY CAN PUT IN
FOR AN ADVANCEMENT OF 25. IS
THAT JUST FOR THIS? PROGRAM OR
IS THAT TRADITIONAL FOR A WHILE
OR IT'S TRADITIONAL FOR A LOT OF
OUR PROGRAMS. THE 25% YES. OK?
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO ME
LACKY. YEAH. I DON'T MEAN TO BE
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS HERE, BUT
OBVIOUSLY THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK
IN ISRAEL WAS, UH PRIMARY SOURCE
OF THIS INCREASED DEMAND. THAT'S
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. AND I THINK
THAT, UH WE TALK ABOUT THE
BUDGET CUT CLIMATE, I WOULD HOPE
THAT WE WOULD SEE THAT THIS IS
NOT AN AREA TO GO THERE. WHEN
ONLY 10% OF THE DEMAND IS BEING
MET NOW, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE
WOULD ESCAPE THAT AND I. I WOULD
JUST REMIND THOSE WHO ARE ON
BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH I HAPPEN
TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AS
WELL THAT, UH AND WHEN WE WHEN
WE SUBMIT OUR REQUESTS THAT'S
NOT FINAL AT THAT POINT, EITHER.
RIGHT IT. IT ENDS UP GOING ALL
THE WAY TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK
AND HE'S THE ONE THAT MAKES IT
AND HIS TEAM MAKE MAKE THAT
FINAL DECISION. BUT I WOULD HOPE
THAT THEY WOULD LISTEN TO THE
CRIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT THERE'S
CLEARLY A NEED FOR THIS BECAUSE
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF EMOTION.
THAT'S MISPLACED. AND PEOPLE
SHOW REALLY POOR JUDGMENT WHEN
THEIR EMOTION GETS, UH, DRIVEN
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND
THESE PEOPLE DESERVE PROTECTION.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN AFFORD
THAT, AT LEAST TO THE MODICUM OF
INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE ALREADY
GRANTING. THEY CAN'T AFFORD A
CUT. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR, UM, TESTIMONY HERE IN
FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE ON SUB
SIX. WE ARE INTERESTED IN
MONITORING HOW THOSE GRANTS WERE
AWARDED THE EXTENSION AND TO, UM
MCCARTHY'S POINT AS SOMETHING
WHERE MCCARTY THE 25% AREAS THAT
YOU COULD ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD,
SO KEEP US ABREAST OF THE PRO OF
THE PROGRAMS AS THEY CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD AND AS WE
TRANSITION TO ISSUE NUMBER
SEVEN, IT'S THE SAME PANEL SO
WE'LL CONTINUE AND WE'LL START
WITH, UM ERIC SWANSON. YES THE
FEDERAL VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT ARE
VOCA VICTIM ASSISTANCE FORMULA
GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS SERVICES TO
VICTIMS OF CRIME, INCLUDING RAPE
CRISIS CENTERS. DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE SHELTERS, HOUSING
VICTIM, WITNESS, CENTER SUPPORT
AND CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER
PROGRAMS. CALIFORNIA'S FEDERAL
FEDERAL VOCA ASSISTANCE GRANT
FUNDS HAVE DECLINED IN RECENT
YEARS FROM ITS PEAK OF 397
MILLION IN 2000 YEAR, 2018 TO
153 MILLION IN FEDERAL FISCAL
YEAR, 2023. AND IT IS OUR
UNDERSTANDING THAT CALIFORNIA'S
FEDERAL VOCA ASSISTANCE GRANT
ALLOCATION COULD BE FURTHER
REDUCED TO BETWEEN 90 TO 120
MILLION FOR THE STATEWIDE
PROGRAMS IF THE FEDERAL
REDUCTION MATERIALIZES. UH,
CALLOWAY. S¼ WORKED WITH THE
VOCA STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH
LARGELY CONSISTS OF SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO
DEVELOP A REDUCTION PLAN FOR
VICTIMS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
THE FEDERAL CUT MATERIALIZES. I
GET MORE AVAILABLE FOR ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU ANY OTHER
TESTIMONY? DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. NÓ COMMENT. YOU. THANK
YOU, CHAIR RAMOS. WE'VE BEEN
ASKED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE
KIND OF A SUMMARY OF A 2015 16
REPORT WE HAD ON IMPROVING THE
STATE'S VICTIM PROGRAMS. UM AS
SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
RELATE TO ONGOING EFFORTS TO
CONSOLIDATE THE VICTIM PROGRAMS
UNDER ONE AGENCY. UH, SO JUST
BEFORE JUMPING INTO A KIND OF A
SUMMARY OF OUR REPORT, I JUST
WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT
OF CONTEXT AROUND THE
TERMINOLOGY, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND
KIND OF WHAT WAS IN EFFECT AT
THE TIME OF OUR REPORT, SO THE
STATE DOES FUND SERVICES TO
VICTIMS THROUGH NUMEROUS
PROGRAMS. TODAY THOSE ARE
PRIMARILY ADMINISTERED BY Ó, E
S¼ AND THE VICTIM COMPENSATION
BOARD, OR VÆ èC B VÆ èC B WAS
KNOWN AS THE VICTIM COMPENSATION
AND GOVERNMENT CLAIMS BOARD
UNTIL 2016 WHEN THE GOVERNMENT
CLAIMS FUNCTION WAS TRANSFERRED
TO Dð G S¼. SO, UH, THE TRANSFER
AND AFTER OUR REPORT WAS WRITTEN
, SO WE STILL REFER TO VÆ èC B
BY ITS PRIOR NAME, BUT I THINK
JUST FOR EASE, AND, UH, I'M JUST
GONNA REFER TO IT AS THE BOARD
TODAY. SO UM, OUR PRIOR REVIEW
OF THE STATE VICTIM PROGRAMS, UM
, FOUND THAT THE STATE LACKED A
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR
ASSISTING CRIME VICTIMS,
PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE STATE
LACKED A LEAD AGENCY THAT WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE
STATE'S EFFORTS TO ASSIST
VICTIMS. SPECIFICALLY WE HAD A
FEW KEY FINDINGS AS PART OF THAT
REPORT. UH FIRST, UH, VICTIM
PROGRAMS LACKED COORDINATIONS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE TIME
STAFF FROM Ó E S¼, AND THE
BOARD INDICATED THAT THEY
GENERALLY DID NOT COLLABORATE AT
THAT TIME. UH, SECOND, THE STATE
WAS MISSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OBTAINING CERTAIN FEDERAL FUNDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOARD WAS NOT
APPLYING FOR FEDERAL MATCHING
FUNDS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY
Ó E S¼ ARE PAID FOR BY Ó E S¼.
AND THEN THIRD, WE HAD, UH, THAT
MANY STATE VICTIM GRANT PROGRAMS
APPEAR DUPLICATIVE AND PROVIDED
RELATIVELY SMALL GRANT AWARDS
AND THEN FOURTH AND FINALLY, UH,
THE GRAND PA, WE FOUND THAT THE
GRANT PROGRAMS WERE NARROWLY
TARGETED. UM, WHICH THAT A LOT
OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS WERE
RESTRICTED TO A RELATIVELY SMALL
SUBSET OF POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.
SO IN LIGHT OF THESE FINDINGS,
WE MADE A FEW DIFFERENT KEY
RECOMMENDATIONS. UM FIRST WE
RECOMMENDED THAT THE LEGISLATURE
RESTRUCTURE THE BOARD TO BETTER
FOCUS ON VICTIM PROGRAMS. AS
PART OF THIS, WE RECOMMENDED
APPROVING THE GOVERNOR'S
PROPOSAL AT THE TIME TO SHIFT
THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS FUNCTION
FROM THE BOARD TO Dð G S¼,
WHICH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER
WAS DONE IN 2016. WE ALSO
RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE
MEMBERSHIP TO ADD EXPERTISE IN
VICTIMS ISSUES. SECOND WE
RECOMMENDED SHIFTING ALL OF THE
MAJOR VICTIM PROGRAMS FROM Ó E
S¼ TO THE RESTRUCTURED BOARD AND
THEN THIRD AND FINALLY, WE
RECOMMENDED THAT THE RESTRUCTURE
BOARD DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGY AND WE RECOMMENDED THAT
THIS STRATEGY. DO A FEW THINGS
FIRST, UH, ASSESS THE
APPROPRIATE NUMBER, SCOPE AND
PRIORITY OF THE STATE'S EXISTING
VICTIM. GRANT PROGRAMS. SECOND
CONSIDER WAYS TO ENSURE THAT THE
STATE RECEIVES ALL ELIGIBLE
FEDERAL GRANTS AND THIRD TO
ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR PERIODIC
EVALUATIONS OF VICTIM PROGRAMS.
WHILE WE HAVEN'T CONDUCTED A
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT ON
STATUS OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
SINCE ISSUING THAT REPORT, WE DO
KNOW THAT Ó E S¼ AND THE BOARD
HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ADDRESS SOME
OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. SO,
FOR EXAMPLE, Ó E S¼ AND THE
BOARD HAVE PUBLISHED A STRATEGIC
PLAN FOR VICTIM SERVICES, WHICH
IS PRO PROMISING FROM BOTH THE
COLLABORATION PERSPECTIVE AS
WELL AS TAKING STEPS TO PUBLISH
A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY. WE ARE
AWARE, HOWEVER, THAT A KEY
RECOMMENDATION REMAINS
UNIMPLEMENTED. JUST TO SHIFT ALL
MAJOR VICTIM PROGRAMS FROM Ó E
S¼ TO THE BOARD. WE DO KNOW THAT
Ó E S¼ AND VÆ èC B HAVE TAKEN
STEPS TO LOOK INTO THIS
TRANSITION AND AS PART OF THE
2019 20 BUDGET PACKAGE, THE
GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE AGREED
IN CONCEPT TO CONSOLIDATING THE
VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAM OPERATED
BY THE BOARD AND Ó E S¼ INTO A
NEW VICTIM SERVICES DEPARTMENT
UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
AGENCY, HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO
ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME TO WORK
THROUGH THE FINAL DETAILS OF
THAT TRANSITION, UH, THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW
DEPARTMENT WAS DEFERRED TO THE
2021 BUDGET WHEN THE
ADMINISTRATION AGREED TO BRING
FORWARD A FINAL PROPOSAL TO DATE
. THAT PROPOSAL HAS NOT BEEN
SUBMITTED YET. UM SO WE CONTINUE
TO THINK AGAIN AS PART OF OUR
REPORT THAT CONSOLIDATING THESE
VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAMS, UH,
WOULD BE, UH, AS IMPORTANT AND
WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE FINAL
PROPOSAL WHEN IT IS SUBMITTED.
AND WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. UH, SO MUCH FOR THAT
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO RESPOND? SURE JUST TEST
TO COME BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. JUST WANTED TO
PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL
CLARIFYING COMMENT TO STATE THAT
THE 2024 25 BUDGET DOES NOT
CONTAIN A PROPOSAL REGARDING
CONSOLIDATION. THANK YOU. ANY
QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE
DICE? I HAVE A CALLED UP LUCKY.
I THINK THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. I
THINK THE LAOS RECOMMENDATION IS
CLEARLY JUSTIFIED. AND I. I
THINK IT WOULD BE SMART BECAUSE
I THINK Ó E HAS A FULL PLATE.
AND UH, CERTAINLY THE DEMAND
THAT THAT WE ASKED FOR Ó E S¼
IS PRETTY CONSIDERABLE. AND I
THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR
CIRCUMSTANCE BASED ON THE PAST
OR HAVING DIFFICULTY, AND SO WHY
DON'T WE? MAKE IT EASIER FOR
EVERYBODY AND CONSOLIDATE AND DO
THIS, UH, THIS RESTRUCTURING. I
THINK THAT THAT CLEARLY IS
CALLED FOR, AND I HOPE THAT WE
WOULD AS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
STRONGLY CONSIDER THAT THANK
YOU. UM SO WE LACKING AND
RESTRUCTURING UTILIZING
RESOURCES IS SOMETHING THAT'S
IMPORTANT. UM ALL IN THE STATE
TO LOOK AT. HOWEVER WE DO ALSO
NEED TO HAVE A PLAN AND HAVE
THAT BACK TO US SO THAT WE COULD
EVALUATE THAT. SO WE WOULD BE
LOOKING. UM, THROUGH THIS
COMMITTEE TO FIND OUT WHERE THAT
, UM, PLAN IS AT, UM AND HOW
SOON IT WOULD BE COMING TO THIS
BODY. THANK YOU. NOW AS WE MOVE
ON TO ISSUE NUMBER EIGHT. YES
UH, THE FINAL ISSUE IS A
REQUIREMENT ARTICULATED IN THE
LAST FEW BUDGET CYCLES FOR
CALLAWAY S¼ TO DEVELOP AN ISSUE
A REPORT THAT OUTLINES OUR
OPERATIONAL VISIONS OR RESPONSE
GAP OR SORT OF A RESPONSE. GAP
ANALYSIS. THE INTENT OF THIS
REPORT IS TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES
OF RISKS CALLOW CONSIDERS DURING
PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS
EFFORTS, THE FRAMEWORK UTILIZED
TO IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE
RESOURCE CAPABILITIES. EXISTING
PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THE
FRAMEWORK GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE. HOW
RECENTLY APPROVED RESOURCES
SUPPORT AT THE EMERGENCY
RESPONSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
AND GAPS THAT MAY EXIST WITH THE
CURRENT RESOURCES. UM WE HAVE
UTILIZED INTERNAL INTERVIEWS AND
OUTSIDER STAKEHOLDER INPUT TO
DEVELOP THIS REPORT THE REPORTS
IN THE APPROVAL PROCESS AND
SHOULD BE DISSEMINATED SHORTLY.
IT WAS DUE. UH, JUST A FEW WEEKS
AGO MARCH 1ST, BUT WE SHOULD BE
GETTING IT OUT SOON. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT. TESTIMONY, ANY
OTHERS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
ELIO. THANK YOU CHAIR. ALMOST
WE'RE WE'RE ALSO PREPARED TO
PROVIDE KIND OF A SUMMARY OF OUR
2220 THREE, UH, REPORT. UH, IF
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UH, THAT
KIND OF LED TO THIS ULTIMATE
LIKE INCLUSION. IS THAT OK?
THAT'LL BE GREAT. SURE SO, UM,
AGAIN, UH, JARED SUPPLE WITH THE
L A Ó. UH, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED
TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF A
RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE AS
PART OF THE 2220 THREE BUDGET
PROCESS WHERE WE RECOMMENDED
THAT THE LEGISLATURE REQUIRE THE
ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A
REPORT FOR ENHANCING THE STATE'S
EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPACITY. AND
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE WERE SEEING
AT THE TIME. WAS THAT THERE WAS
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN Ó E S¼,
UH, BUDGET AS WELL AS STAFFING
LEVELS. SO A Ó E S¼ IS LIKE
STATE OPERATIONS BUDGET HAD MORE
THAN DOUBLED FROM THE 1718
BUDGET THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S
2223 BUDGET. STAFFING LEVELS HAD
SIMILARLY INCREASED FROM LIKE,
UH, MORE THAN 60% FROM OVER THAT
SAME TIME PERIOD, AND GIVEN THE
INCREASES IN THE BOTH THE NUMBER
AND THE SEVERITY OF EMERGENCY AS
AS WELL AS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
THE EMERGENCIES WOULD CONTINUE
TO INCREASE IN THE FUTURE. UH,
WE DID. KNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS
REASONABLE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD
WAS PROPOSING TO INCREASE THE
STATE'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE
CAPACITY DURING THAT TIME.
HOWEVER WE ALSO FOUND THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WERE
DIFFICULT TO ASSESS FOR A COUPLE
OF KEY REASONS. UH, FIRST Ó E
S¼ IS SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM
STAFFING NEEDS WERE UNCLEAR, AND
Ó E S¼ LACKED AN OVERALL
STAFFING PLAN THAT OUTLINED A
STRATEGY FOR ADDRESSING THE
IDENTIFIED STAFFING NEEDS. OVER
THE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN SEEING
KIND OF SIMILAR TYPES OF
STAFFING AUGMENTATION, SUCH AS
DISASTER PLANNING LOGISTICS
ADMINISTRATION GRANTS MANAGEMENT
, HOWEVER, AGAIN, IT WAS
DIFFICULT TO ASSESS HOW OF ALL
OF THESE FIT INTO THE OVERALL
STAFFING NEEDS OF THE AND SECOND
. WE ALSO FOUND THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WERE NOT
TIED TO SPECIFIC EMERGENCY
RESPONSE GOALS OR OBJECTIVES. WE
BELIEVE THAT HAVING SUCH GOALS
WERE IMPORTANT THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION SHOULD HAVE
OBJECTIVES THAT ARE ALIGNED TO
EACH OF THOSE GOALS, AND THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD PRO
PROVIDE A LIST OF POTENTIAL
ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT
COULD HELP MEET THOSE, UH,
OBJECTIVES. AND SO, HOWEVER,
WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, IT WAS
DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF THE
SPECIFIC PROPOSALS REFLECTED THE
MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
APPROACH TO MEETING THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE NEEDS SO THAT
ACCORDINGLY WE ENDED UP
RECOMMENDING THAT THE STATE, UM
REQUIRE THE ADMINISTRATION TO
DEVELOP THIS REPORT ON ENHANCING
THE STATE'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE
CAPACITY. WE RECOMMENDED THAT IT
INCLUDE A FEW KEY ELEMENTS, UH,
FIRST GOALS FOR EMERGENCY
RESPONSE CAPACITY, SUCH AS THE
NUMBER AND TYPES OF EMERGENCIES.
THE STATE NEEDS TO BE PREPARED
TO RESPOND TO SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SECOND AN ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING
CAPACITY SUCH AS HOW THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPACITY IS
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE
, AND HOW Ó E S¼ CAPACITY FITS
IN WITH THE CAPABILITIES OF
OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE CAL FIRE
AS WELL AS OTHER LOCAL AND
FEDERAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
THIRD AN IDENTIFICATION OF GAPS
AND WEAKNESSES IN THE CURRENT
CAPACITY THAT PREVENTS THE STATE
FROM MEETING THOSE GOALS AND
THEN FINALLY, AN ASSESSMENT OF
STAFFING NEEDED TO SUPPORT THESE
CAPACITY GOALS. AND SO
ULTIMATELY AS IT WAS DISCUSSED
THE FINAL 2223 BUDGET ACT AS A
YOU KNOW, INCLUDE REQUIREMENT
FOR A REPORT THAT CONTAINS MANY
OF THESE ELEMENTS AS AS MISTER
SWANSON MENTIONED EARLIER
EARLIER, AND, UH, WE DO LOOK
FORWARD TO RECEIVING THAT REPORT
FROM THE DEPARTMENT ONCE IT'S
READY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT. AND WE DO NEED
TO, UM, MAKE SURE WE ARE LOOKING
AT STRATEGIC PLANS AND GETTING
BACK SO THAT WE COULD VET THE
PROCESS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
THAT UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT
ARE THERE. DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
RESPOND? TEST TO COME BACK TO
FIND US JUST WANTED TO REITERATE
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT
REPRESENTATIVE MENTIONED THAT
THIS REPORT IS FORTHCOMING AND
SHOULD BE AVAILABLE SOON. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. PLEASE UM, WORK
WITH THIS COMMITTEE TO ENSURE
THAT WE KNOW WHEN THAT TIME IS
COMING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM ON
, UH OH, YES. Kò Ó E S¼. UM
THERE'S A FEDERAL FUND GAP. UM
AND THIS IS GOES BACK TO ISSUE
SEVEN. ON THE DIFFERENT GAP.
THAT'S THERE. DOES Ó E S¼ HAVE
A PLAN TO FILL IN THOSE AREAS
WITH THAT VICTIM SERVICES? YEAH
THIS IS I MEAN IT. THIS WAS A
DIFFICULT PROCESS. WHAT WE ENDED
UP DOING IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN
AN EXISTING VOCA STEERING
COMMITTEE THAT ADVISORY
COMMITTEE THAT PROVIDES
RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR DIRECTOR
ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS
. IT INVOLVES A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS. THERE'S SOME, UM
MEMBERS WHO ARE APPOINTED, UH
BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE
STAKEHOLDERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
DOING THE WORK, SO WE ENDED UP
CONVENING A VERY DIFFICULT
MEETING THAT MY COLLEAGUE HERE
ENDED UP. UH UM RUNNING THIS
SUMMER TALKING ABOUT IF THESE
CUTS MATERIALIZE, WHAT SORT OF
REDUCTIONS ARE WE LOOKING AT?
AND TOGETHER THE COMMITTEE ALONG
WITH CALLOW E? S¼ UM, HAD, UH,
CAME UP WITH A SERIES OF
REDUCTIONS AND THEY ARE, YOU
KNOW AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT PRETTY.
BUT UM, THAT'S WHAT CAME UP WITH
AND THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN TO
IMPLEMENT. UH, IF THE REDUCTION
TAKES PLACE THANK YOU FOR THAT,
UH, GINA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON
THAT? WHAT YES, WE, UM WE HAVE A
STARTED IMPLEMENTING THE, UM OUR
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, REDUCING
THOSE PROGRAMS BY A DOLLAR
AMOUNT. UM GOING FORWARD, AND
THEN UM, WHAT WE DID WAS WE
STARTED THIS A YEAR AGO. SO WE
LET OUR VICTIM SERVICES. UM
ORGANIZATIONS KNOW THAT THIS WAS
COMING, SO IT WASN'T CUT LAST
MINUTE AND WE ARE GOING TO BE
IMPLEMENTING IN 2024, A 30% CUT
ACROSS THE BOARD FAIR AND
EQUITABLE FOR ALL OUR VICTIM
SERVICES PROGRAMS. UM REALLY,
UNTIL WE KNOW OUR FEDERAL, UH,
AMOUNT. WE ARE UNSURE WHAT THAT
IS GONNA BE YET. UM, WE'RE JUST
HEARING RUMBLINGS. IT COULD BE
UP TO $100 MILLION. WE STILL
DON'T KNOW WE MIGHT NOT KNOW
TILL SEPTEMBER, BUT WE ARE
STARTING TO, UM, MITIGATE THOSE
CUTS NOW. YOU PREPARE, AND IF
WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO GET
ADDITIONAL MONEY THAN WE WOULD,
UH, BE ABLE TO EITHER. UM,
EQUALIZE THE PROGRAMS WITH
WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY. YEAH, WE
SHOULD POINT OUT TOO, THAT WE,
UM ON OUR FEDERAL LISTS, ALWAYS
OUR WISH LISTS WERE ALWAYS
BRINGING THIS UP TO OUR FEDERAL
COLLEAGUES IS SOMETHING WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AND THERE'S
A LOT OF STATES THAT KNOW THIS
THAT THIS IS A THIS IS A BIG
DEAL. YES. THANK YOU. DO WE KNOW
THE AN AMOUNT OF WHAT? WE
BELIEVE THE GAP WOULD BE, UH, IT
RIGHT NOW AROUND 100 MILLION
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DÍAS?
COMETS. MY ONLY COMMENT. COMMENT
WOULD BE MORE A QUESTION. AND
HOW WOULD A 30% CUT? BE FAIR OR
EQUITABLE? I MEAN, I. I KNOW YOU
USE THOSE TERMS. BUT I, I THINK
YOU MEAN EVENLY EVENLY
ABSOLUTELY EVENLY DISTRIBUTED TO
BE FAIR. OK? THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME BEING HERE AND
ALL THESE, UH, TOUGH ISSUES HERE
AT THE, UM IN SUB SIX THAT WE'RE
GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND
CERTAINLY, UH, FOLLOWING UP AND
GETTING SOME MORE OF THAT
INFORMATION BACK. THANK YOU ALL
FOR PARTICIPATING AS NOW WE MOVE
ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH PUBLIC
COMMENT FOR EACH PERSON WILL
HAVE UP TO ONE MINUTE. PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME.
I THANK YOU. CHAIR COMMITTEE AND
STAFF RYAN MORE MUNI WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES HERE TO PROVIDE BRIEF
REMARKS IN REGARDS TO ISSUE
NUMBER SEVEN. AND SO WE
APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE AND
CALLOW ES, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE
DOWNWARD TREND IN THE FEDERAL
FUNDING SHORTFALL AS IT RELATES
TO THE VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT OR
VOCA. UH THE FEDERAL FUNDING
SHORTFALL PRESENTS NOT ONLY
HISTORIC LOW BUT AN EXTREME
CONCERN FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR
ABILITY TO RECEIVE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES FOR THEIR HEALING AND
RECOVERY. UM, THERE IS ALSO A
PENDING LEGISLATION AIMED AT
ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, SO WE
LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER
DISCUSSIONS. UM, BUT AS IT
RELATES TO YOUR QUESTION MORE
BROADLY SPEAKING, UM, CHAIR LAST
YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE U, S¼ Dð
Ó J, THE CRIMES VICTIMS FUND, A
BALANCE UNDER VOCA WAS OVER 2.3
BILLION. UM, UNFORTUNATELY,
DESPITE OUR CONTINUAL FEDERAL
ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF COUNTIES
AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UM IT'S
POISED TO FUND VOCA AT 1.35
BILLION, AND SO AS YOU CAN TELL
AGAIN, A SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALL
AND THEN SO GENERAL COMMENTS AS
IT RELATES TO THE ISSUE FOR WE
BROADLY SUPPORT. GOING
COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS TO PREVENT
, UM FENTANYL FROM ENTERING OUR
OUR BORDERS AND APPRECIATE
STRATEGIES FOCUSING ON
PREVENTION EDUCATION, UM, AS
WELL AS LARGER DRUG TRAFFICKING
OPERATIONS WITH CO ORDINATION
AND SUPPORT FROM OUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS. UH
MY NAME IS MAGALI. I'M WITH
GREEN TROI, SPEAKING ON ISSUE
NUMBER SEVEN ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA PARTNERSHIP AND
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE
CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS OF
CALIFORNIA, THE COALITION TO
ABOLISH SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING
LEGAL AID ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, L GB Tð
CENTER, THE CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
NETWORK, THE L GB Tð Q CENTER OF
LONG BEACH AND VALOR U S¼, ALONG
WITH 200 STATE AND LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS. UM, WE'RE CALLING
ON TO THE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE
ONGOING FUNDING TO STABILIZE THE
CRIME VICTIM SERVICES AND ENSURE
THAT SURVIVORS HAVE ACCESS TO
THE LIFE SAVING SUPPORTS THAT
THEY NEED AND CALIFORNIA VOCA
DOLLARS ARE THE LARGEST
CONSISTENT FUNDING SOURCE FOR
VITAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF
CRIME PROGRAM SUPPORTING, UM
SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
CHILD ABUSE, SEXUAL ASSAULT,
ELDER ABUSE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND MORE RELY HEAVILY ON VOCA
FUNDING TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN
. UM AS WE ALL KNOW, THE FEDERAL
APPROPRIATIONS BILL PASSED LAST
WEEK, WHICH WILL CONSTITUTE
ROUGHLY A 630. DOLLAR CUT TO THE
VOCA GRANTS, UM, COMPARED TO FY
23 AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. UM AND
THE CUTS THAT CAL Ó E S¼ HAS
ALREADY BEGUN TO IMPLEMENT AND
WOULD NEED TO CONTINUE ROLLING
OUT AS A RESULT OF THIS FUNDING
CUT WILL FORCE UM, CRIME VICTIM
SERVICE PROVIDERS TO REDUCE
THEIR SERVICES TO SURVIVORS,
INCLUDING FEWER LEGAL SERVICES.
HOUSING OPTIONS LONGER WAIT
TIMES FOR COUNSELING SERVICES,
AND SOME PROGRAMS MAY NEED TO
CLOSE THEIR DOORS ENTIRELY,
GIVEN THIS DIRE FEDERAL FUNDING
SHORTFALL. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT
THE STATE STEP IN TO PROVIDE
FUNDS TO SUPPORT CRIME VICTIMS
AS THEY REACH OUT FOR SAFETY
SUPPORT AND HEALING. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. KI¾M. LEWIS
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
COALITION FOR YOUTH, AND I WOULD
ECHO, UM, OUR SUPPORT OF THE
PREVIOUS TWO SPEAKERS AROUND THE
RESTORATION OF BOCA LOSS OF
FUNDS. UM, BECAUSE THIS IS
IMPACTING A LOT OF OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
AND WOULD ALSO RAISE THE
COMMITTEE. UM, OUR REQUEST TO,
UM INCREASE THE YOUTH EMERGENCY
TELEPHONE REFERRAL NETWORK KNOWN
AS THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH CRISIS
LINE. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN
INCREASE IN FUNDING SINCE 2015
16 WHEN WE WERE ALLOWED TO USING
DOLLARS FROM THE STATE TO ROLL
OUT OUR CHILD TO TEXT TO HOTLINE
FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WE KNOW
THEY LIKE TO TEXT AND CHAT, AND
THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA MEET OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO, UM, WE'RE
LOOKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES OF 600,000 ONGOING
GENERAL FUNDS SO WE CAN HAVE
MORE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS ON OUR LINE, SUPPORT
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALSO
PROVIDE, UM THE OVERSIGHT AND
COUNSELING SO THAT OUR
VOLUNTEERS WE HAVE OVER 100 THAT
CAN ACTUALLY GET THEIR HOURS
TOWARDS THEIR LIFE INSURE AND
CLINICAL LICENSURE. UM AS WELL
AS JUST GENERAL, UM, STUFF SO WE
CAN IMPROVE OUR ADVERTISING AND
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THESE
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HØI. UM, I HAD A
QUESTION. IF WE'RE SPEAKING TO
MULTIPLE ISSUES, CAN WE HAVE A
MINUTE PER ISSUE OR DO WE JUST
NEED TO PICK ONE? I'VE BEEN VERY
GENEROUS. OK THANK YOU. SO FOR,
UM THE ISSUE OF THE FENTANYL,
UM, HEARING I MY NAME IS HAYLEY
LITTLE I'M REPRESENTING SURGE
BAY AREA, WHICH IS SHOWING UP
FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND CURB
CALIFORNIANS UNITED FOR A
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. I'M
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE
AND I'M IN HERE IN OPPOSITION OF
THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN FUNDING
TO THE FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT.
PROGRAM WELL, I CAN UNDERSTAND
THE FIGURES AND OUTCOMES
PRESENTED TODAY APPEAR TO BE
IMPRESSIVE. IN AN INDICATOR OF
SUCCESS. THESE FIGURES DO NOT
ACTUALLY LEAD TO A DIRECT
INCREASE IN PUBLIC SAFETY. WHAT
THIS INDICATES TO ME IS THAT OUR
STATE IS NOT ABSORBING THE
LESSONS OF PAST FAILURES HERE IN
AMERICA. THE FAILED WAR ON DRUGS
HAS SHOWED US THAT WE CANNOT
PUNISH AND CRIMINALIZE OUR WAY
OUT OF AMERICA'S SUBSTANCE USE
ISSUES. WE CAN SPEND ALL THE
MONEY WE WANT ON SEIZING DRUGS
AND INCARCERATING PEOPLE. BUT
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE DRUGS
WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. AND NEW
SUPPLY WILL CONTINUE TO ARISE
THEN. NOT ONLY HAVE WE WASTED
OUR PRECIOUS FUNDS ON SEIZING
DRUGS THAT WERE EVENTUALLY
REPLACED, BUT WE HAVE NOW THE
ADDITIONAL COST OF $100,000 PER
PERSON PER YEAR OF THE PEOPLE.
WE ARE NOW INCARCERATING INSTEAD
OF FOCUSING OUR PRECIOUS
CALIFORNIA FUNDS. IN SUCH AN
INTENSE DEFICIT, PERIOD ON
PUNISHMENT AND CRIMINALIZATION.
I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN
PRIORITIZE OUR FUNDS FOR
SERVICES THAT WILL TRULY
INTERRUPT THE CYCLES OF
ADDICTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS LOOKS LIKE SUPPORTING
MENTAL HEALTH CARE, SUBSTANCE
USE SERVICES, HOUSING WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY BASED
SUPPORT SERVICES. PLEASE
CONSIDER USING THIS FUNDING AND
ALTERNATIVE WAYS THAT ARE MORE
RESPONSIBLE AND POSITIVELY
IMPACTFUL FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF VOCA
FUNDING, I OPPOSE THE DELAY OF
CASH ASSISTANCE TO SURVIVORS OF
HARM, AND I URGE THE LEGISLATOR
TO FILL THE $200 MILLION GAP
THAT WILL RESULT FROM VCA
FUNDING REDUCTION. THE PROPOSED
DECREASE IN FUNDING FOR
SURVIVORS OF HARM POSES A
SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE WELL
BEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WHEN
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED
DO NOT RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY
NEED. IT NOT ONLY PERPETUATES
CYCLES OF TRAUMA BUT ALSO
INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF
FURTHER HARM OCCURRING WITHIN
OUR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES.
INVESTING IN SERVICES FOR
SURVIVORS OF HARM IS NOT JUST
ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE. IT'S
ABOUT SAFEGUARDING THE ENTIRE
COMMUNITY FROM THE RIPPLE
EFFECTS OF UNRESOLVED TRAUMA.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN CONSISTENTLY
THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT
RECEIVE ADEQUATE SUPPORT AFTER
EXPERIENCING HARM ARE AT HIGHER
RISK OF ENGAGING IN HARMFUL
BEHAVIOR THEMSELVES BY
NEGLECTING FUNDING FOR VICTIM
SERVICES. WE ARE ESSENTIALLY
SETTING THE STAGE FOR CYCLES OF
HARM AND RECIDIVISM TO CONTINUE.
IF THE LEGISLATURE IS GENUINELY
COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR
COMMUNITY SAFE AND REDUCING
PRISON POPULATIONS AND SPENDING
CUTTING THE FUNDING TO ESSENTIAL
SERVICES IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN
SHORT SIGHTED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. HELLO MY
NAME IS ALICIA. I REPRESENT
CALIFORNIANS UNITED FOR
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. UM I REJECT
INCREASED FUNDING, UH, TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO CRIMINALIZE
CALIFORNIANS FOR THE FENTANYL
CRISIS TO SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE
FENTANYL OVERDOSE CRISIS. WE
NEED TO PRIORITIZE A HEALTH
APPROACH AND INCREASE ACCESS AND
FUNDING TO EVIDENCE BASED
APPROACHES. CALIFORNIA MUST
UPHOLD AND EXPAND EXISTING
POLICIES, LIKE THE VALUES ACT
THAT ALLOW IMMIGRANT
CALIFORNIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
OUR COMMUNITIES AND ACCESS CARE
AND SUPPORT, SUCH AS GOING TO
THE HOSPITAL AND APPEARING FOR
COURT HEARINGS WITHOUT FEAR OF
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE
COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. OR BEING
SUBJECTED TO TRAUMATIC ICE
DETENTION OR DEPORTATION. TO THE
CHAIRMAN'S POINT. NATIVE
AMERICAN RESIDENTS IN CALIFORNIA
HAD THE HIGHEST RATE OF OPIATE
OVERDOSE DEATH COMPARED TO ANY
OTHER RACIAL GROUP FROM 2017 TO
2022. ACCORDING TO THE MOST
RECENT DATA AVAILABLE FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, ACCORDING TO THE PRISON
POLICY INITIATIVE IN JAILS,
NATIVE PEOPLE HAD MORE THAN
DOUBLE THE INCARCERATION RATE OF
WHITE PEOPLE AND IN PRISONS.
THAT DISPARITY WAS EVEN GREATER.
THIS FEELS LIKE THE EIGHTIES
CRACK COCAINE EPIDEMIC THAT
TARGETED THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
SAME STORY. DIFFERENT DRUG
DIFFERENT, UNDESERVED,
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, BUT SAME
STORY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. GOOD TO BE HERE WITH
YOU. ALL MY NAME IS ANTHONY DE
MARTINO. I'M THE GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR
CALIFORNIANS FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE AND CRIME SURVIVORS FOR
SAFETY AND JUSTICE. WE HAVE OVER
50,000 ORGANIZED CRIME SURVIVORS
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND WE ARE LED BY SEVERAL CRIME
SURVIVORS, UH, IN OUR
ORGANIZATION. I'M HERE TO SPEAK
DIRECTLY ABOUT THE FLEXIBLE CASH
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN 2022. WE
HAD A BANNER YEAR FOR VICTIMS
AND PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES.
UM, WHERE WE WERE AWARDED $50
MILLION FOR FLEXIBLE CASH
ASSISTANCE. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
A THE NATION PILOT PROGRAM TO,
UM GET MONEY OUT THE DOOR
QUICKER TO VICTIMS. UM, THIS
YEAR THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED
TO DELAY THAT. UM AND WE ARE
ASKING THE LEGISLATURE TO WORK
WITH US, UM, TO OPPOSE THAT AND
OR FIND A SOLUTION TO AMEND THAT
TO GET SOME MONEY OUT THE DOOR.
THE GRANT WAS, UM, HAS ALREADY
BEEN WRITTEN. THE RFP IS READY
TO GO OUT. UM, WE ARE WORKING
WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE
FOLKS ARE AWARE OF THIS. SO WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
ALL ON FINDING A SOLUTION TO GET
MONEY OUT THE DOOR FOR VICTIMS.
AND THANK YOU SOME OF YOUR
LACKEY SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR
COMMENTS FOR THIS. I ALSO ALIGN
MY, UH, REMARKS WITH, UH, THE
OTHER SPEAKERS ON FINDING A
SOLUTION FOR VOCA. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. HELLO CHAIR RAMOS AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY
AND THANK YOU FOR PREVIOUS
COMMENTERS. UM, ON THE, UH, THE
FUNDING THAT WE SO DESPERATELY
NEEDED. RACHEL MUELLER ON BEHALF
OF VALOR. VALOR IS A CALIFORNIA
BASED NATIONAL ANTI SEXUAL
VIOLENCE ORGANIZATION IN
CALIFORNIA'S SEXUAL ASSAULT
COALITION. FOWLER REPRESENTS THE
84 RAPE CRISIS CENTER PROGRAMS
ACROSS THE STATE WHO SERVED WHO
SERVE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL
VIOLENCE AND SUPPORT THEM
THROUGH THEIR UNIQUE HEALING.
AND RECOVERY JOURNEYS IN FY 2122
, CALIFORNIA RAPE CRISIS CENTER
SERVED OVER 46,000 SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE. FEDERAL FUNDING
TO CRIME VICTIM SERVICES IS AT
RISK OF BEING DRAMATICALLY CUT
AND WILL IMPACT THE ABILITY TO
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND OTHER CRIME.
SURVIVORS SHOULD FUNDING FOR
CRIME VICTIM SERVICES NOT BE
BACKFILLED BY THE STATE
SURVIVORS. ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL
SERVICES WILL START TO DISAPPEAR
. RAPE CRISIS CENTERS WILL HAVE
TO INCREASE WAIT TIMES TO ACCESS
COUNSELING SERVICE. SEE THEIR
OPERATING BUDGETS CUT IN HALF OR
WORSE, CLOSE THEIR DOORS TO
COMMUNITIES WHO DESPERATELY NEED
THEIR SUPPORT. SURVIVORS OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE DESERVE ACCESS
TO HEALING CENTERS. EVEN THROUGH
TOUGH BUDGET YEARS. WE
RESPECTFULLY URGE THE MEMBERS OF
THIS COMMITTEE AND IN THE
LEGISLATURE TO INCLUDE 200
MILLION IN ONGOING FUNDING IN
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO SUPPORT
THE GAP IN FEDERAL CRIME. VICTIM
SERVICES. FUNDING THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT. SEEING NONE. THIS
COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.
EVENTUALLY IT'S GONNA BE THERE.
YEAH.