CC - Item IV.CC-D - Domestic Violence Courts-Supportstaf epor
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
FROM: FRANK G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGER
DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2000
RE: SB 1340 (SOLIS) & AB 1754 (PACHECO) - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTS -
SUPPORT
Attached for the City Council's review are copies of SB 1340 (Solis) and AB 1754 (Pacheco),
current bill status reports, complete bill histories, and a letter to Mayor Vasquez from State Senator
Solis requesting Rosemead's support of SB 1340.
COUNCIL. r',fit ~ A
FEB R2 2000
The proposed bills provide funding for domestic violence courts. SB 1340 establishes a three year
pilot project for creating and expanding domestic violence courts in coordination with the Judicial
Council at a funding level of $10 million. SB 1340 requires a report to the Legislature by March 1,
2004. No selection criteria is contained in the bill. SB 1340 is supported by the National
Organization of Women (NOW), the Statewide Coalition for Battered Women and the California
Alliance Against Domestic Violence. There is no known opposition.
The issue of dedicated domestic violence courts originated with the Citrus Municipal Court (West
Covina). The County of Los Angeles has taken a support position on SB 1340 as well as AB 1754
(Pacheco) which also creates a three year pilot but at a funding level of $3.6 million. Los Angeles
County indicates AB 1754 is particularly advantageous to the County because as currently written it
will fund three pilot programs, one of which is to be awarded to a county with a population over nine
million, and preference is given to those counties which have established this type of court in
calendar year 1999. Other than Los Angeles County, there is no known support or opposition to AB
1754.
RECOMAIIENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council support SB 1340 (Solis) and AB 1754 (Pacheco) and
authorize the Mayor to send letters of support and instruct the City's legislative advocate to work in
support of these bills to provide funding for domestic violence courts in Los Angeles County.
ITEM No. eC
CURRENT BILL STATUS
MEASURE : S.B. No. 1390
AUTHOR(S) Solis and Alpert (Coauthor: Assembly Member Romero).
TOPIC Domestic violence courts.
HOUSE LOCATION SEN
TYPE OF BILL :
Active
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
Majority Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 01/19/2000
LAST HIST. ACTION To Coms. on JUD. and PUB. S.
TITLE An act to add Section 69520 to the Government Code,
relating to courts.
FEB 08 100 09:20AM GONSALVES & SON
01J 1JYV L>ClldLV pill - MAW Y
COMPLETE BILL HISTORY
BILL NUMBER : S.B. No. 1390
AUTHOR : Solis
TOPIC : Domestic violence courts.
TYPE OF BILL :
Active
Non-Urgency
Non-Appropriations
Majority Vote Required
Non-state-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
P.8/10
Page 1 of ]
BILL HISTORY
2000
Jan. 19 To Coma. on JUD. and PUB. S.
Jan. 11 From print. May be acted upon on or after February 10.
Jan. 10 Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To
print.
http://w-ww.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/smVsb_1301.13 5 0/sb_1340_bi ll_20000119_history.html 2/8/00
SACRAMENTO OFFICE
STATE CAPITOL
ROOM BOSS
SENATOR
SACRAMENTO. CA 05814
1916) 445 1418
HILDA L. SOLIS
4401 SANTA ANITA AVENUE
TWENTY-FOURTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT
SECOND FLOOR
EL MONTE. CA 91731
16261448-1271
REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITIES OF ALHAMBRA. A2USA, BALDWIN PARK. BASSETT. BELVEOERE.
C17Y TERRACE. EAST Los ANGELES. EL MONTE. EL SERENo. HACIENDA HEIGHTS. INDUSTRY.
47r 16 CESAR CHAVEi AVENUE
'
'
IRWINDALE. LA PUENTE. MONTEREY PARK. ROSEMEAD
SAN GABRIEL. SOUTH SAN GAsRIEL
VALINOA
BUILDING
A
EAST LOS ANGELES, CA 90022
.
,
.
AND PORTIONS OF NORTH WHITTIER, SOUTH EL MONTE, TEMPLE CITY, WEST COVINA AND GLEND RA
(323) 9809560
~
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January 2
1
2000 ~
,
rrt
Mayor Joe Vasquez
City of Rosemead
8838 E. Valley Blvd.
Rosemead, CA 91770
Dear Mayor Vasquez:
SENATE COMMITTEES
CHAIR
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA TRADE
ANDCOMMERCE
SUBCOMMITTEE NO. 3ON HEALTH.
HUMAN SERVICES. AND LABOR
MEMBER
BUDGET 8 FISCAL REVIEW
ENERGY. UTILITIES AND
COMMUNICATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL DUALITY
FINANCE. INVESTMENT. AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NATURAL RESOURCES
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
BILINGUAL EDUCATION
SELECT COMMITTEE ON HIGHER
EDUCATION
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
WORKFORCE PREPARATION
This letter is to respectfully request that the attached resolution pertaining to SB 1340 be
submitted to the Rosemead City Council for their review.
SB 1340 will create a $10 million statewide domestic violence court funding pilot
project. This project will be a three-year effort to fund and expand existing domestic
violence courts in the state as well as create new courts. The Judicial Council will be
required to report to the Legislature by March 1, 2004 on the results of the pilot project.
It is my hope that the City Council will vote to support SB 1340. This epidemic of
violence will not end until we commit ourselves to working towards its elimination.
Please feel free to contact Giannina Perez at (916) 445-1418 or Adele Andrade-Stadler at
(323) 980-9560 of my staff should you have any questions regarding this request.
Sincerely,
HILDA L. OLIS
24`h Senatorial District
attachment
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LMfifornia z,tate enate
SACRAMENTO OFFICE
SENATE COMMITTEES
STATE CAPITOL
ROOM 4039
SENATOR
CHAIR
S
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
INDUSTRIAL RELATION
19161 4A5 14 18
SOLIS
HILDA L
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA TRADE
.
AND COMMERCE
aaol SANTA ANITA
TWENTY-FOURTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT
MEMBER
SECOND D FL 917
FLOOR
EL MONTE. CA .1731
BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW
1626144a.1271
ENERGY. UTILITIES AND
COMMUNICATIONS
4716 CESAR CHAVEZ AVENUE
WILDING 'A'
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EAST LOS ANGELES, CA 90022
.d Li I
FINANCE, INVESTMENT, AND
121319809560
~p[~?
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SELECT COMMITTEE N
BILINGUAL EDUCATION
SELECT COMMITTEE ON HIGHER
EDUCATION
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
WORKFORCE PREPARATION
SUBCOMMITTEE NO, 3 ON HEALTH.
HUMAN SERVICES, AND LABOR
Senate Bill 1340
DOMESTIC. VIOLENCE COURT PILOT PROJECT
WHAT SB 1340 DOES:
SB 1340 will create a $10 million statewide domestic violence court funding pilot project. This project
will be a three-year effort to fund and expand existing domestic violence courts in the state as well as
create new courts. The Judicial Council will be required to report to the Legislature by March 1, 2004
on the results of the pilot project.
Domestic violence courts are specialized courtrooms led by one judge who handles all the cases. With
such close scrutiny, victims don't feel alone and isolated and defendants know that they are being
closely monitored. The same prosecutor and public defense lawyers and bailiffs are assigned to the
courtroom to further its continuity and consistency.
WHY SB 1340 IS NEEDED:
The National Center for State Courts shows that filing of domestic violence cases more than doubled
nationally between 1985 and 1997. During that same time a number of counties began opening
domestic violence courts, including Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco and the cities of El
Monte, Pasadena, and Long Beach.
While domestic violence courtrooms have been praised by judges, lawyers, and victims' advocates, the
Citrus Municipal domestic violence courtroom in West Covina was closed last year as a result of
funding and organizational issues. The courtroom was reopened early this year with the presiding
judge overseeing all domestic violence cases. He has indicated that he will keep the courtroom open
for just one year pending future funding.
SB 1340 seeks to provide the funding to expand the number of courts specialized in domestic violence
in the state. Likewise, it will provide coordination in how these courts function as well as evaluate the
effectiveness of these courts.
SPONSORS OF SB 1340:
• California National Organization for Women (NOW) & San Gabriel Valley/Whittier Chapter, NOW
• Statewide California Coalition for Battered Women
FEB 08 '00 09:19AM GONSALVES & SON
4 w a I rtppo111VIY D11A - OLaLUS
CURRENT BILL STATUS
MEASURE : A.B. No. 1754
AUTHOR(S) Robert Pacheco.
TOPIC Courts: domestic violence departments.
HOUSE LOCATION ASM
TYPE OF BILL :
Active
Non-Urgency
Appropriations
2/3 Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 01/20/2000
LAST HIST. ACTION Referred to Com. on ,IUD.
COMM. LOCATION ASM JUDICIARY
TITLE An act to add and repeal Chapter 1.6 (commencing with
section 68300) to Title 8 of the Government Code,
relating to courts, and making an appropriation therefor.
P.2110
Page 1 of 1
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/publbilllasnvab_1751-1800/ab_1754_bill20000126_status.htm] . 2/8/00
FEB 08 '00 09:19AM GONSALVES & SON
I/ J- n GIIAUAy DILI - fIISLUry
COMPLETE BILL HISTORY
BILL NUMBER : A.S. No. 1754
AUTHOR Robert Pacheco
TOPIC Courts! domestic violence departments.
TYPE OF BILL :
Active
Non-Urgency
Appropriations
2/3 Vote Required
Non-State-Mandated Local Program
Fiscal
Non-Tax Levy
BILL HISTORY
2000
Jan. 20 Referred to Com. on JUrA.
Jan. 14 From printer. May be heard in committee February 13.
Jan. 13 Read first time. To print.
P. 3/10
Page 1 of 1
http://www.l eginfo.ca.gov/piib/bi lLIasnVab_ 1751-1800/ab_ 1754_bill_20000120_history.himl 2/8/00
FEB 08 '00 09:19AM GONSALVES & SON
CALIFORN A LEGISLATURE-1999-2000 REGULAR SESSION
ASSEMBLY BILL No. 1754
Introduced by Assembly Member Robert Pacheco
January 13, 2000
An act to add and repeal Chapter 1.6 (commencing with
Section 68300) to Title 8 of the Government Code, relating to
courts, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSELS DIGEST
AB 1754, as introduced, Robert Pacheco. Courts: domestic
violence departments.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of superior and
municipal courts, as specified; prohibits acts of domestic
violence, as defined; and provides both civil remedies and
criminal penalties for acts of domestic violence.
This bill would require the Judicial Council, as a pilot
project, to designate 3 superior or municipal courts, selected
as specified, to adjudicate matters pertaining to acts of
domestic violence. The bill would provide for the selection of
domestic violence cases for adjudication by a domestic
violence division, as specified, and would authorize courts
participating in the pilot project to establish local rules of
court regarding counseling. This bill would require the
Judicial Council to report to the Legislature regarding the
pilot project on or before January 1, 2003. The provisions of the
bill would be repealed on July 1, 2004, unless that date is
extended by later-enacted legislation.
The bill would appropriate $3,600,000 from the General
Fund to the Trial Court Trust Fund for disbursement to the
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P.4/10
FEB 08 '00 09:20AN GONSALVES & SON
AB 1754
-2-
courts involved, as specified, and would state the intent of the
Legislature to continue that funding in future budget acts.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 1.6 (commencing with Section
2 68300) is added to Title 8 of the Government Code, to
3 read:
4
5 CHAPTER 1.6. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DMSIONS
6
7 68300. For purposes of this article:
8 (a) "Domestic violence" means any act described in
9 Section 6211 of the Family Code or Section 12028.5 of the
10 Penal Code.
I1 (b) The population of a county shall be determined
12 pursuant to the census published by the Department of
13 Finance in January 1998.
14 68301. (a) As a pilot project, the Judicial Council shall
15 designate three superior or municipal courts which shall
16 establish domestic violence divisions pursuant to this
17 chapter.
18 (b) One court shall be selected from each of the
19 following categories:
20 (1) Counties with a population of more than 9,000,000
21 persons.
22 . (2) Counties with a population of more than 2,000,000
23 but not exceeding 9,000,000 persons.
24 (3) Counties with a population of at least 750,000 but
25 not exceeding 2,000,000 persons.
26 (c) The courts selected shall be chosen from those
27 courts that apply to the Judicial Council for consideration
28 for the pilot project established by this chapter on or
29 before February 1, 2001.
30 (d) The Judicial Council shall give preference in the
31 selection of . courts to those courts that voluntarily
32 provided a domestic violence division in calendar year
33 1999.
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FEB 08 100 09:20AM GONSALVES & SON
-3- AB 1754
1 (e) The Judicial Council shall select the participating
2. courts on or before March 1, 2001.
3 68302, A domestic violence division shall adjudicate
4 matters pertaining to acts of domestic violence, as
5 assigned to the division by the presiding judge. If not all
6 matters pertaining to domestic violence can be
7 expeditiously heard by the domestic violence division,
8 domestic violence cases shall be. assigned to the domestic
9 violence division at the discretion of the presiding judge
10 according to priorities established by local rules of court.
11 68303. The Judicial Council shall report to the
12 Legislature on or before January 1, 2003, on the
13 effectiveness of domestic violence divisions in handling
14 matters pertaining to acts of domestic violence,
15 including, but not limited to, expedience, recidivism, and
16 the ongoing safety of family members at risk.
17 68304. Those courts participating in the pilot project
18 may enact local rules of court, not in conflict with the
19 Rules of Court established by the Judicial Council, that
20 grant the judge hearing such a matter discretion to order
21 separate counseling for parties found to be the
22 perpetrators of, and parties found to be the victims of, acts
23 of domestic violence.
24 68305. This chapter shall remain in effect only until
25 July 1, 2004, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later
26 statute enacted after the effective date of this chapter
27 extends or repeals that date.
28 SEC. 2. There is hereby appropriated from the
29 General Fund to the Trial Court Trust Fund the sum of
30 three million six hundred thousand dollars ($3,600,000),
31 to be allocated by the Trial Court Budget Commission to
32 those courts that establish domestic violence divisions
33 pursuant to this act for expenditure according to the
34 purposes of this act. It is the further intent of the
35 Legislature to thereafter incorporate ongoing funding for
36 these purposes in the annual Budget Act beginning with
37 the 2001-2002 fiscal year.
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SENATE BILL No. 1340
Introduced by Senators Solis and Alpert
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Romero)
January 10, 2000
An act to add Section 69520 to the Government Code,
relating to courts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSELS DIGEST
SB 1340, as introduced, Solis. Domestic violence courts.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of superior and
municipal courts, as specified; prohibits acts of domestic
violence, as defined; and provides both civil and criminal
sanctions for acts of domestic violence.
This bill would establish a statewide 3-year pilot project for
funding, creating, and expanding domestic violence courts, as
defined, in coordination with the Judicial Council, as
specified, and would require the Judicial Council to report to
the Legislature regarding the results of the project. The bill
would also declare the Legislature's intent regarding funding
of the project.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows
1 SECTION 1. Section 69520 is added to the
2 Govermnent Code, to read:
3 69520. (a) There is hereby established a statewide,
4 three-year pilot project for the purpose of funding,
5 creating, and expanding domestic violence courts.
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SB 1340 -2-
1 (b) As used in this section:
2 (1) "Domestic violence" means any act described in
3 Section 6211 of the Family Code or Section 12028.5 of the
4 Penal Code.
5 (2) "Domestic violence courts" means the assignment
6 of civil or criminal cases, or both, involving domestic
7 violence to one department of the superior court or
8 municipal court, consistent with the jurisdiction of those
9 courts.
10 (c) Creation or expansion of any domestic violence
I1 court under this pilot project shall be accomplished in
12 coordination with the Judicial Council and in a manner
13 that takes into account the findings of the Judicial
14 Council's report to the Legislature pursuant to Section
15 6390 of the Famil;, Code.
16 (d) The Judicial Council shall report to the Legislature
17 no later than March 1, 2004, regarding the results of this
18 pilot project.
19 SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature that the sum
20 of ten million dollars (510,000,000) shall be appropriated
21 in the annual Budget Act for purposes of this act.
O
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