LIKE TO CALL THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET
SUBCOMMITTEE NUMBER SIX TO
ORDER. TODAY IS AN INFORMATIONAL
HEARING, DESIGNED TO HAVE
MEMBERS ASK QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS TO THOSE UNDER, PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE SUB SIX.
JURISDICTION. I DO UNDERSTAND
THAT. MEMBER ALLOYS GÓMEZ REYES
WAS HERE AND SO WE'LL WAIT TO
SEE IF SHE COMES BACK TO ASK THE
QUESTION THAT SHE, IS READY TO
ASK. AFTER THAT, THEN WE'LL HAVE
PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT RIGHT NOW,
WE'LL GO AROUND THE DAIS AS THE
VICE CHAIR OF ANY COMMENTS?
YEAH. THANK YOU. AND DO WE HAVE
THE PARTICIPANTS ON THE WEB?
OKAY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING
OF YOUR TIME. I KNOW WE WENT
THROUGH A LOT OF THESE TOPICS
WITH THE HEARINGS THAT WE'VE HAD
DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS, THIS
GEARED IS GEARED TOWARDS
INFORMATIONAL, AND IT WAS OPEN
TO ANY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER THAT
WOULD LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS
ON THE BUDGET ITSELF. AND I DO
KNOW THAT ASSEMBLY MEMBER ALLOYS
GÓMEZ REYES DOES HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS. SO WE'LL GIVE HER A
LITTLE TIME TO SETTLE IN, AND
THEN SHE'LL BE ABLE TO ASK THOSE
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
AND THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU AT THIS
VERY IMPORTANT MEETING. I DO
WANT TO THANK OAS FOR INCLUDING
THE PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE FUNDING
FOR THE VICTIMS SERVICE PROGRAMS
, AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
MONEY WE'RE LOSING FROM THE
FEDERAL FUNDING, CAN YOU GIVE US
AN IDEA? INITIALLY, WE HAD BEEN
TOLD IT WAS 200 MILLION, IS IT
103 MILLION NOW? HELLO. STEVEN
BENTZ WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. YEAH, WE YES, WE HAVE
WORKED WITH, CAL OES. I'M SORRY,
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
WE'VE WORKED WITH CAL OES. IT
LOOKS LIKE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN,
LIKE, CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE,
THEY PROJECT THAT IT WOULD NEED
ABOUT $103 MILLION IN TERMS OF A
FEDERAL BACKFILL. I WILL TELL
YOU THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT
THAT ITEM NUMBER FOUR WAS
EXPLICITLY INCLUDED AND CALLS
OUT THE REDUCTION OF 45% IN
GRANTS, FUNDING TO THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS. IF I MAY HAVE JUST A
MOMENT, MR. CHAIR. GO AHEAD. IS
THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM
THE DÍAS? IT'S OPEN TO GEARED
TOWARDS ANY DEPARTMENT, BUT IF
YOU COULD ASK THE STATE, THE
DEPARTMENT, AHEAD OF TIME SO
THEY COULD BE READY A QUESTION
FOR CDCR. WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE.
YES OKAY. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH
THE, THE DOLLARS GIVEN IN
RELATION TO THE. I HAVE A
DYSFUNCTIONAL MIC. CAN I BE
HEARD? OKAY. IT HAS TO DO WITH
THE DOLLARS GIVEN IN RELATION TO
THE 10,000 VACANCIES, DO WE HAVE
ANY IDEA WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE
GOING? AND, HOW MUCH IS GOING
WHERE LIKE TO OVERTIME GENERAL
FUND, DO YOU HAVE ANY DIRECTION
THERE? AMY JARVIS DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE AND I DO. I AM JOINED
TODAY BY COLLEAGUES ON, ONLINE
AS WELL, AND I DID SEE THIS
ISSUE IN THE AGENDA, AND I THINK
THAT IT WAS SPECIFICALLY CALLED
OUT THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC
ITEMS OF EXPENSE FOR THE MEDICAL
PROGRAM, AND I'M NOT PREPARED TO
GIVE YOU THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN
TODAY, BUT I THINK WE CAN FOLLOW
UP WITH SOMETHING, AFTER THIS
HEARING. OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU,
MISS GÓMEZ. REYES. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR, GOING BACK TO THE
VOCA FUNDING, I UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE ARE OVER 400 SERVICE
PROVIDERS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WHO RELY ON THESE
SERVICES OR ON THIS FUNDING FOR
THEIR SERVICES. IS THERE A PLAN
FOR WHERE SURVIVORS WOULD BE
ABLE TO RECEIVE SERVICES IF
THESE PROGRAMS ARE UNABLE TO
SERVE THEM DUE TO BUDGET CUTS?
SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OR FROM CAL OES
ONLINE THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER DETAIL ON
THAT. WE CAN CHECK DO WE HAVE
THEM ONLINE? YEAH. THIS IS ERIC
SWANSON FROM CAL OES. CAN YOU
HEAR ME? YES THE QUESTION WAS
ABOUT THE, SURVIVORS. GRANT. IS
THAT RIGHT? WELL, JUST ASKING,
SINCE WE HAVE WE'RE LOSING $103
MILLION FOR THESE PROGRAMS THAT
ARE PROVIDING SERVICES UNDER THE
VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT. WHERE DO
WE IS THERE A PLAN FOR THESE
SURVIVORS? DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY
CAN GO TO RECEIVE SERVICES IF
THE PROGRAMS ARE UNABLE TO SERVE
THEM DUE TO THE BUDGET CUTS? ARE
THERE OTHER PLACES FOR THESE
VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS TO GO? NO
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME EMPHASIZE
THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS,
AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS A
FEDERAL CUT, AND WE ARE, AS
DISCOURAGED WITH IT AS EVERYONE
ELSE. I WOULD SAY THAT, FOR SOME
OF THESE PROGRAMS, THEY WILL
RECEIVE A SMALLER AMOUNT THAN
THEY RECEIVED IN THE PAST. AND
FOR SOME PROGRAMS ITSELF, IT MAY
BE THAT WE END UP, HAVING TO
PROVIDE LESS RESOURCES OR NO
RESOURCES FOR SOME PROGRAMS THAT
DON'T, AREN'T, DON'T GET
APPROVED THROUGH THE REQUEST FOR
PROPOSAL PROCESS. THERE WILL BE
SERVICES AVAILABLE, THERE WILL
STILL BE NONPROFITS PROVIDING
SERVICES. IT MAY BE FARTHER AWAY
THAN BEFORE, OR IT MAY BE THAT
THEY HAVE LESS RESOURCES, BUT I
THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LEFT
WITH. SO ARE WE SAYING THAT
THESE THE SURVIVORS, IF I MAY,
MR. CHAIR, ARE WE SAYING THAT
THE SURVIVORS CAN GO TO OTHER
NONPROFITS TO RECEIVE THESE
SERVICES AND THESE OTHER
NONPROFITS HAVE MONEY THAT IS
OTHER THAN FROM THE VOCA FUNDING
FOR SOME OF THESE NONPROFITS? I
WOULD SAY VOCA IS ONE OF THE
LARGEST, THE LARGEST SOURCES OF
THEIR INCOME. OTHERS MAY HAVE
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL,
THEY ARE NONPROFITS. SO I'M NOT
PRIVY TO ALL OF THEIR, FUNDING
SOURCES. BUT, WE BELIEVE THERE
WILL BE SOME SORT OF RESOURCES
STILL AVAILABLE. ALL. AND THE
RESOURCES ARE COMING FROM WHERE?
SO THAT I CAN BETTER EXPLAIN TO
OUR PROVIDERS. THERE IS, A LOWER
AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT
HAS BEEN APPROVED, IN THE, IN
THE FEDERAL BUDGET FOR VOCA, AS
YOU KNOW, VOCA IS, IS, TIED TO
FINES AND FEES FOR CRIMES. SO
THERE IS A LOWER LEVEL THAT WE
WILL PROVIDE, AND THEN SOME OF
OUR PROGRAMS, WE'VE, AS I SAID,
WE'VE KIND OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IS
SAID WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
ALTHOUGH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE
SAME AMOUNT OF FOLKS GET THE GET
THE GRANTS. THE AMOUNT MAY BE
LOWER JUST SO WE CAN HIT THE,
THE MARK THAT THE FEDS HAVE
PROVIDED US. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
THE CLARIFICATION OF THE FUNDING
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
DEALING WITH VOCA. BUT WE KNOW
THAT THERE STILL IS A VOID, THAT
PROVIDERS ARE STILL LOOKING FOR.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE
CLARIFICATION ON THAT. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS, MISS GÓMEZ? REYES NOT
AT THIS TIME, MR. CHAIR. OKAY.
ANY OTHERS? ARE YOU READY FOR
YOUR QUESTION OR DO YOU NEED
MORE TIME? MISS COMMISSIONER, I
THINK MORE SO TO MAKE A
STATEMENT THAT WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THESE SERVICES ARE CORE TO
PREVENT OUR SURVIVORS FROM BEING
FURTHER VICTIMIZED AND THIS IS A
SUPPORT FOR SOME OF THE MOST
VULNERABLE PEOPLE AFTER BEING
VICTIMIZED. AND I THINK WE SPEND
A LOT OF MONEY A LOT OF TIME, A
LOT OF EFFORT ON HOMELESSNESS
AND THAT IS PART OF THE SERVICES
THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED TO OUR
VICTIMS OF CRIME. AND MY BIG
CONCERN, AS IS THE CONCERN OF
MANY OF US, IS THAT BY TAKING
AWAY THESE THIS FUNDING, WE'RE
TAKING AWAY THE SERVICES AND WE
ARE ALSO SETTING PEOPLE UP FOR
HOMELESSNESS. AS YOU KNOW, MR.
CHAIR, WE DID PROVIDE A LETTER
SIGNED BY 46 COLLEAGUES FROM THE
ASSEMBLY ALONE, BIPARTISAN IN
MORE THAN HALF OF THE,
DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS, MORE THAN
HALF OF THE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS
WHO HAVE ASKED THAT WE TAKE CARE
OF THE VICTIMS AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE DO NOT VICTIMIZE THEM A
SECOND TIME. THANK YOU. MR.
CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
HEARING NONE. THIS HEARING IS
ADJOURNED. Ó PUBLIC COMMENT.
ALMOST BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS, MISS, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GÓMEZ REYES, WE DID HAVE A
HEARING ON AND CENTERED AROUND A
LARGE DISCUSSION ON THE VODKA
AND THE FUNDING THAT'S COMING
FROM THAT AREA. GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND MEMBERS,
CARILLO, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA STATE SHERIFFS
ASSOCIATION, GRATEFUL TO THE
COMMITTEE FOR ADDING THE VODKA
ITEM INTO THE AGENDA. GRATEFUL
TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER REYES FOR
YOUR TIRELESS ADVOCACY ON THIS,
ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE
WOULD URGE THE ASSEMBLY TO
SUPPORT A BACKFILL OF THIS
FUNDING. AS NOTED, ITS EFFECTS
VICTIM SERVICES OF VARIOUS TYPES
, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS
VICTIM NOTIFICATION FOR OFFENDER
STATUS. AND WE WOULD URGE THE
FINAL BUDGET, THAT'S WHEN IT'S
ADOPTED TO INCLUDE A REMEDY FOR
THIS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
CLIFTON WILSON, ON BEHALF OF THE
COUNTIES OF FRESNO, MADERA, KERN
AND TULARE, ALL IN STRONG
SUPPORT AND REQUESTING THE
INCLUSION OF FUNDING IN THE
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2425 TO
BACKFILL THE FEDERAL REDUCTION
OF OHCA FUNDING AND LIMITING THE
REDUCTION TO SERVICES FOR CRIME
SURVIVORS. AS STATED, THESE
SERVICES HELP SOME OF THE MOST
VULNERABLE CALIFORNIANS RECEIVE
SERVICES, AND FUNDING CUTS WILL
RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION. HOUSING SERVICES,
INCLUDING EMERGENCY SHELTER,
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND HOUSING
FIRST. THEREFORE, WE URGE YOUR
SUPPORT AND EXPLORING OTHER
BUDGETARY ACTIONS TO ENSURE THAT
APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF FUNDING
REMAIN FOR THE CRITICAL LOCAL
PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I'M A
LITTLE SHORT FOR THIS. HI. GOOD
EVENING. MY NAME IS GRACE GLASER
. I'M HERE ON BEHALF. THANK YOU.
IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M HERE
ON BEHALF OF OUR CALIFORNIA
SEXUAL ASSAULT COALITION AND
WANT TO THANK THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
LACKEY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU
ARE DOING. AND I JUST WANT TO BE
HERE TO URGE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
TO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR CRIME
VICTIM SERVICES IN THE FINAL
BUDGET. I HAVE MET WITH THE
SURVIVOR EARLIER THIS LAST WEEK
WHO UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT ABLE
TO RECEIVE SERVICES DUE TO THE
CURRENT BACKLOG THAT RAPE CRISIS
CENTERS ALREADY EXPERIENCE.
SURVIVORS ARE WAITING. THEY ARE
BECOMING HOMELESS. THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING CRISIS AFTER CRISIS
AND ARE AT RISK OF BEING
RETRAUMATIZED. I KNOW I'M
PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT
I REALLY JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING, AT
MINIMUM, 103 MILLION AND THIS
YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
YEAH. GOOD EVENING, KIM LEWIS,
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
COALITION FOR YOUTH, AND I WON'T
REPEAT ANY OF THE COMMENTS MADE
BY MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES. BUT
IN SUPPORT OF BACKFILLING THE
VICTIM OF CRIME ACT FUNDING AS
WELL FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON THE
STREETS, WE KNOW THAT WITHIN THE
FIRST 24 TO 48 HOURS OF THEM
BEING ON THE STREETS, THEY ARE
APPROACHED BY A PIMP OR
PANDERER. AND WHEN WE HAVE A LOT
OF COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE
ANY SORT OF SAFE PLACE FOR OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO, THEN THEY
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE
VICTIMIZED ON THE STREETS. AND
THESE DOLLARS ARE VERY CRITICAL
TO SUPPORT THOSE NONPROFITS WHO
ARE SERVING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO END UP
FURTHER VICTIMIZED AND
APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO
IN THIS TIGHT BUDGET SITUATION,
AND NOT JUST LOOK AT THE
UPCOMING YEAR, BUT ALSO THE
BUDGET YEAR PLUS ONE, BECAUSE
I'M, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO
CONTINUE TO BE THESE CHALLENGES
FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
CHAIR GONZALEZ, ON BEHALF OF THE
COALITION TO ABOLISH SLAVERY AND
TRAFFICKING, THIS IS THE
NATION'S LARGEST IT SERVICES
PROVIDER FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING
VICTIMS. THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE
REALITY THAT OUR STATE IS HOME
TO THE LARGEST SERVICE PROVIDER
FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS.
THESE CUTS ARE CATASTROPHIC FOR
THESE NONPROFITS. WE URGE THIS
SUBCOMMITTEE TO PLEASE PUT IN AT
LEAST THE BACKFILL OF $103
MILLION. WE THANK THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER FOR HER LEADERSHIP, AND
WE, OF COURSE, THANK THE
SUBCOMMITTEE AND STAFF FOR ALL
THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU. SO MUCH. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD EVENING
FOR GLEN BACCHUS, FOR THE ELLA
BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.
WE WOULD BE BUDGET NEUTRAL IF WE
CLOSED FIVE PRISONS OR FEWER. WE
COULD FULLY FUND VICTIM
SERVICES, REHABILITATIVE
SERVICES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE
WALLS. WE COULD INVEST IN VICTIM
SERVICES. AS I JUST SAID, WE DO
NOT CUT VISITING DAYS, INVEST IN
DATA TRANSPARENCY, AND INVEST IN
INDIGENT DEFENSE. ALL BY JUST
CUTTING BACK ON PRISONS. FOR THE
PROSECUTOR'S ALLIANCE OF
CALIFORNIA, WE STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE BACKFILL OF 103 MILLION FOR
VICTIM SERVICES, AS WELL AS
INVESTING IN REHABILITATIVE
SERVICES. ONE LAST SORRY AND
FUNDING DATA TRANSPARENCY AT THE
COUNTY LEVEL. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD
EVENING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
ANTHONY DEMARTINO, ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIANS FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE AND CRIME SURVIVORS FOR
SAFETY AND JUSTICE, WE ORGANIZE
OVER 50,000 CRIME SURVIVORS IN
THE STATE AND SPEAKING IN
SUPPORT OF THE BACKFILL FOR
VOCA, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR THE
FLEXIBLE ASSISTANCE FOR
SURVIVORS GRANT PROGRAM. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. ANY OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT? I'M GOING TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR BEING HERE AS WE HAD
THIS INFORMATIONAL MEETING, TO
AFFORD MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT
HAVE ON THE BUDGET PERTAIN TO
SUB SIX. THANK YOU FOR THE
MEMBERS THAT PARTAKE IN THAT.
AND WE HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND
WE'LL TAKE THOSE BACK IN THE
SUBCOMMITTEE WITH THAT. THIS
HEARING IS ADJOURNED