Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law charges the board with providing the statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in Californias adult and juvenile criminal justice system, including addressing gang problems. Existing law establishes the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program and assigns the authority and duties of the board in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants. Existing law limits the maximum grant amount to $1,500,000. Existing law repeals this program on January 1, 2025.

This bill would specify that the purpose of the CalVIP program is to support effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, as defined. The bill would expand the CalVIP program to include counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence and tribal governments. The bill would increase the maximum grant amount to $2,500,000 per year and require a grant cycle to be at least 3 years. The bill would require the board to establish an executive steering committee to be composed of, among other entities, persons who have been impacted by community gun violence and the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or their designee, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, as specified. The bill would repeal the repeal date of the CalVIP program, thereby extending this program indefinitely.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law charges the board with providing the statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in Californias adult and juvenile criminal justice system, including addressing gang problems. Existing law establishes the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program and assigns the authority and duties of the board in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants. Existing law limits the maximum grant amount to $1,500,000. Existing law repeals this program on January 1, 2025.

This bill would specify that the purpose of the CalVIP program is to support effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, as defined. The bill would expand the CalVIP program to include counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence and tribal governments. The bill would increase the maximum grant amount to $2,500,000 per year and require a grant cycle to be at least 3 years. The bill would require the board to establish an executive steering committee to be composed of, among other entities, persons who have been impacted by community gun violence and the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or their designee, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, as specified. The bill would repeal the repeal date of the CalVIP program, thereby extending this program indefinitely.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law charges the board with providing the statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in Californias adult and juvenile criminal justice system, including addressing gang problems. Existing law establishes the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program and assigns the authority and duties of the board in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants. Existing law limits the maximum grant amount to $1,500,000. Existing law repeals this program on January 1, 2025.

This bill would specify that the purpose of the CalVIP program is to support effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, as defined. The bill would expand the CalVIP program to include counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence and tribal governments. The bill would increase the maximum grant amount to $2,500,000 per year and require a grant cycle to be at least 3 years. The bill would require the board to establish an executive steering committee to be composed of, among other entities, persons who have been impacted by community gun violence and the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or their designee, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, as specified. The bill would repeal the repeal date of the CalVIP program, thereby extending this program indefinitely.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections. Existing law charges the board with providing the statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to promote effective state and local efforts and partnerships in Californias adult and juvenile criminal justice system, including addressing gang problems. Existing law establishes the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program and assigns the authority and duties of the board in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants. Existing law limits the maximum grant amount to $1,500,000. Existing law repeals this program on January 1, 2025.

Existing law requires the court to order records sealed if a person is found to be factually innocent, including records of arrest and detention, upon written or oral motion of any party.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to this provision.

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 762

Author: Wicks (D)

Amended: 5/25/23 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: 4-0, 7/11/23

AYES: Bradford, Ochoa Bogh, Skinner, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Wahab

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23

AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Wiener

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program

SOURCE: Giffords Center for Violence Intervention

DIGEST:

This bill makes changes to the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP), as well as the eligibility requirements for the grant, and to make the program permanent.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). (Pen. Code, § 6024, subd. (a).)
2. Requires the BSCC to do the following, among other things:
   1. Develop recommendations for the improvement of criminal justice and delinquency and gang prevention activity throughout the state;
   2. Identify, promote, and provide technical assistance relating to evidence-based programs, practices, and promising and innovative projects consistent with the mission of the board;
   3. Receive and disburse federal funds, and perform all necessary and appropriate services in the performance of its duties as established by federal acts;
   4. Develop procedures to ensure that applications for grants are processed fairly, efficiently, and in a manner consistent with the mission of the board;
   5. Identify delinquency and gang intervention and prevention grants that have the same or similar program purpose, are allocated to the same entities, serve the same target populations, and have the same desired outcomes for the purpose of consolidating grant funds and programs and moving toward a unified single delinquency intervention and prevention grant application process in adherence with all applicable federal guidelines and mandates;
   6. Cooperate with and render technical assistance to the Legislature, state agencies, local governments, or other public or private agencies, organizations, or institutions in matters relating to criminal justice and delinquency prevention;
   7. Develop incentives for units of local government to develop comprehensive regional partnerships whereby adjacent jurisdictions pool grant funds in order to deliver services, to a broader target population and maximize the impact of state funds at the local level;
   8. Conduct evaluation studies of the programs and activities assisted by the federal acts.
   9. Identify and evaluate state, local, and federal gang and youth violence suppression, intervention, and prevention programs and strategies, along with funding for those efforts. (Pen. Code, § 6027, subd. (b).
3. Establishes several grant programs to be administered by BSCC. (See Pen. Code, §§ 6045 et seq. and 6047 et seq.)
4. Establishes CalVIP to be administered by BSCC. (Pen. Code, § 14131.)
5. States that the purpose of CalVIP is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (b).)
6. Provides that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including, without limitation, hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused deterrence strategies, that seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. These initiatives shall be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (c).)
7. States that CalVIP grants shall be made on a competitive basis to cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, and to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities, as provided. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (d).)
8. Requires an applicant for a CalVIP grant shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the board, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   1. Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
   2. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
   3. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
   4. Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (f).)
9. States that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (g).)
10. Provides that the amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicant’s proposal and the applicant’s demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicant’s community. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (h).)
11. States that BSCC may award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $1,500,000 per grant cycle. The length of the grant cycle shall be determined by BSCC. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (h)(1).)
12. Requires each city that receives a CalVIP grant shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or more of any of the following types of entities: (1) community-based organizations or (2) public agencies or departments, other than law enforcement agencies or departments, that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (j).)
13. Requires BSCC to form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (k).)
14. States that each grantee shall report to BSCC, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the board, their progress in achieving the grant objectives. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (m).)
15. Requires BSCC, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by CalVIP. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (n).)
16. Repeals the CalVIP provisions on January 1, 2025. (Pen. Code, § 14132.)

This bill:

1. Makes changes to the purpose of CalVIP by stating that the purpose of the program is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence.
2. Defines “community gun violence” to mean “intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.”
3. Specifies that “cities” includes tribal governments and adds counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence within their jurisdiction.
4. Requires, in addition to existing requirements, an applicant of CalVIP to provide the following:
   1. A statement on how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
   2. Where relevant, include a description of efforts to coordinate with tribal governments located near or within the planned service delivery area; and,
   3. For city or county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
5. Increases the maximum award amount to $2,500,000 and provides that the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
6. Provides that upon making CalVIP grant awards, BSCC shall make at least 20 percent of an approved grantee’s total grant award available to the grantee at the start of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.
7. Adds tribal governments to the types of listed entities to whom a city that receives a CalVIP grant may distribute funds.
8. Requires BSCC to form an executive steering committee including persons who have been impacted by community gun violence, formerly incarcerated persons, subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention, the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director’s designee, and at least three persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
9. Authorizes BSCC, with the advice and assistance of the executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and have the highest need for violence intervention services.
10. Specifies that activities to build and sustain capacity in the field of community-based gun violence intervention and prevention may include any of the following:
    1. Contracting with or providing grants to organizations that provide training, certification, or continued professional development to community-based gun violence intervention and prevention professionals, including frontline professionals and technical assistance providers.
    2. Contracting with or providing grants to nonprofit intermediary organizations that foster the development and growth of community-based organizations dedicated to community gun violence intervention and prevention.
    3. Providing mental health support and other supportive services to frontline community gun violence intervention professionals in order to recruit, retain, and sustain these professionals in their field.
    4. Providing mental health services or financial assistance to family members of frontline community gun violence intervention professionals who are killed or violently injured in the performance of their work.
11. Changes the timeline for the report to no later than 120 days following the close of each grant cycle.
12. Specifies that the changes made by this bill shall apply solely to CalVIP grant applications and awards made after January 1, 2024, and shall not be construed to affect grant applications or awards made prior to this date.
13. Removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025, and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.

Comments

According to the author of this bill:

AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• The Board of State and Community Corrections reports annual ongoing costs of approximately $300,000 in order to hire 2.0 permanent positions (General Fund).
• Unknown general fund cost pressures to appropriate funds to support the $1 million increase in grant caps and provide new and additional grants to entities that qualify for funding under the expanded eligibility provisions. Because CalVIP grants are competitive, it’s possible to expand both the caps and eligibility pool even in the absence additional funding. However, to the extent that existing funds are insufficient to support the corresponding increased demand for grant money, there will be cost pressures to the General Fund.

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/23)

Giffords Center for Violence Intervention (source)

Alameda Health System

Brady Campaign

Californians for Safety and Justice

California Partnership for Safe Communities

California Public Defenders Association

City of Oakland Department of Violence Prevention

Equal Justice USA

Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund

Health Alliance for Violence Intervention

Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions

Juma Ventures

Los Angeles County Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Consortium

March for Our Lives Action Fund, National Office

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

Movement 4 Life

Prosecutors Alliance California

Providence Health

San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention

Shaphat Outreach

Soledad Enrichment Action, Inc.

Southern California Crossroads

Students Demand Action

Toberman Neighborhood Center

Urban Peace Institute

Youth ALIVE!

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/23)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 80-0, 5/31/23

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

Prepared by: Stella Choe / PUB. S. /

9/5/23 9:33:32

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 762 (Wicks) - California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program

Bill Summary:

AB 762 would makes a variety of changes to the California Violence Intervention and Prevention program (CalVIP) including modifying its purpose, increasing the maximum grant award, and expanding eligibility.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Board of State and Community Corrections reports annual ongoing costs of approximately $300,000 in order to hire 2.0 permanent positions (General Fund). See Staff Comments for additional detail.
  
• Unknown general fund cost pressures to appropriate funds to support the $1 million increase in grant caps and provide new and additional grants to entities that qualify for funding under the expanded eligibility provisions. Because CalVIP grants are competitive, it’s possible to expand both the caps and eligibility pool even in the absence additional funding. However, to the extent that existing funds are insufficient to support the corresponding increased demand for grant money, there will be cost pressures to the General Fund.

Background:

The State Legislature established the CalVIP Grant Program in 2017 to replace the California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention grant program that began in 2007. CalVIP provides funding for cities and community-based organizations with the goal of reducing violence in the city and adjacent areas. In October, 2019 the Governor signed AB 1603 (Wicks). AB 1603 codified the establishment of CalVIP and defined its purpose: to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults.

AB 1603, The Break the Cycle of Violence Act, specifies that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including but not limited to: (1) hospital-based violence intervention programs, (2) evidence-based street outreach programs, and (3) focused deterrence strategies. These initiatives should seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults and shall be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future.

Under existing law, only cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence and the CBOs that serve the residents of those cities are eligible to apply for a CalVIP grant. Community-based organizations (CBOs) eligible for CalVIP funding include any nongovernmental organization that provides direct services to the community and meets the following eligibility criteria. Private individuals, independent contractors, professional grants management organizations, consulting firms, auditors, and evaluators may not apply directly for CalVIP funds (though they may be included as partners on a CalVIP grant project).

Historically, CalVIP has received approximately $9 million each year. In 2021, however, the state Budget Act provided a one-time augmentation of $200 million across three fiscal years to enhance CalVIP (FY 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24). The total available funding through CalVIP is $$53,440,829. Existing law requires all CalVIP grantees contribute a 100 percent (100%) match to all grant funds awarded. The match can be cash or in-kind, or a combination of both.

Proposed Law:

• Makes changes to the purpose of CalVIP by stating that the purpose of the program is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence.
• Defines “community gun violence” to mean “intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.”
• Requires an applicant for a CalVIP grant to provide the following:
  • A statement on how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
  • Where relevant, include a description of efforts to coordinate with tribal governments located near or within the planned service delivery area; and,
  • For city or county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
• Increases the maximum award amount to $2,500,000 and provides that the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
• Provides that upon making CalVIP grant awards, BSCC shall make at least 20 percent of an approved grantee’s total grant award available to the grantee at the start of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.
• Adds tribal governments to the list of entities that must receive at least 50 percent of CalVIP grant funds.
• Requires BSCC to form an executive steering committee including persons who have been impacted by community gun violence, formerly incarcerated persons, subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention, the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director’s designee, and at least three persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
• Authorizes the BSCC, with the advice and assistance of the executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and have the highest need for violence intervention services.
• Eliminates the CalVIP sunset date of January 1, 2025 and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.

Related Legislation:

• AB 28 (Gabriel and McCarty, 2023) would impose an excise tax of 11% on the retail sale of a firearm, firearm precursor part, or ammunition, require that the monies collected be deposited into the Gun Violence Prevention, Healing, and Recovery Fund, which the bill creates, and would require that the first $75 million collected be continuously appropriated to the BSCC for purposes administering the CalVIP program.
• AB 1603 (Wicks), Ch. 735, Stats. 2019, established the CalVIP program in statute.

Staff Comments:

Existing law authorizes the BSCC to use up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering the program including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence reduction initiatives supported by CalVIP. AB 762 would instead cap the amount the BSCC can use at $2 million. The bill also requires additional duties of the BSCC. The BSCC currently administers the CalVIP grant at $1.1 million annually. With the additions made in AB 762, the BSCC reports that it would require an additional 1 FTE Associate Governmental Program Analyst and 1 FTE Associate Management Auditor which would include staffing needs, travel, supplies, and indirect costs totaling an additional $302,501 annually.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Senator Aisha Wahab, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB 762 Hearing Date: July 11, 2023

Subject: California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program

HISTORY

Source: Giffords Center for Violence Intervention

Prior Legislation: AB 1603 (Wicks), Ch. 735, Stats. 2019

AB 97 (Committee on Budget), Ch. 14, Stats. 2017

Support: Alameda Health System; Brady Campaign; Californians for Safety and Justice; California Partnership for Safe Communities; California Public Defenders Association; City of Oakland Department of Violence Prevention; Equal Justice USA; Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund; Health Alliance for Violence Intervention; Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions; Juma Ventures; Los Angeles County Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Consortium; March for Our Lives Action Fund (National); Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; Movement 4 Life; Prosecutors Alliance California; Providence Health; San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention; Shaphat Outreach; Soledad Enrichment Action, Inc.; Southern California Crossroads; Students Demand Action; Toberman Neighborhood Center; Urban Peace Institute; Youth ALIVE!

Opposition: None known

Assembly Floor Vote: 80 - 0

PURPOSE

The purpose of this bill is to make changes the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP), as well as the eligibility requirements for the grant, and to make the program permanent.

Existing law establishes the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). (Pen. Code, § 6024, subd. (a).)

Existing law requires the BSCC to do the following, among other things:

• Develop recommendations for the improvement of criminal justice and delinquency and gang prevention activity throughout the state;
• Identify, promote, and provide technical assistance relating to evidence-based programs, practices, and promising and innovative projects consistent with the mission of the board;
• Receive and disburse federal funds, and perform all necessary and appropriate services in the performance of its duties as established by federal acts;
• Develop procedures to ensure that applications for grants are processed fairly, efficiently, and in a manner consistent with the mission of the board;
• Identify delinquency and gang intervention and prevention grants that have the same or similar program purpose, are allocated to the same entities, serve the same target populations, and have the same desired outcomes for the purpose of consolidating grant funds and programs and moving toward a unified single delinquency intervention and prevention grant application process in adherence with all applicable federal guidelines and mandates;
• Cooperate with and render technical assistance to the Legislature, state agencies, local governments, or other public or private agencies, organizations, or institutions in matters relating to criminal justice and delinquency prevention;
• Develop incentives for units of local government to develop comprehensive regional partnerships whereby adjacent jurisdictions pool grant funds in order to deliver services, to a broader target population and maximize the impact of state funds at the local level;
• Conduct evaluation studies of the programs and activities assisted by the federal acts.
• Identify and evaluate state, local, and federal gang and youth violence suppression, intervention, and prevention programs and strategies, along with funding for those efforts. (Pen. Code, § 6027, subd. (b).)

Existing law establishes several grant programs to be administered by BSCC. (See Pen. Code, §§ 6045 et seq. and 6047 et seq.)

Existing law establishes CalVIP to be administered by BSCC. (Pen. Code, § 14131.)

Existing law states that the purpose of CalVIP is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (b).)

This bill makes changes to the purpose of CalVIP by stating that the purpose of the program is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective community gun  violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence.

This bill defines “community gun violence” to mean “intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.”

Existing law provides that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including, without limitation, hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused deterrence strategies, that seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. These initiatives shall be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (c).)

Existing law states that CalVIP grants shall be made on a competitive basis to cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, and to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities, as provided. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (d).)

This bill specifies that “cities” includes tribal governments and adds counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence within their jurisdiction.

Existing law requires an applicant for a CalVIP grant shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the board, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

• Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant.
• A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section.
• A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services.
• Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (f).)

This bill additionally requires the following:

• A statement on how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
• Where relevant, include a description of efforts to coordinate with tribal governments located near or within the planned service delivery area; and,
• For city or county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.

Existing law states that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (g).)

Existing law provides that the amount of funds awarded to an applicant shall be commensurate with the scope of the applicant’s proposal and the applicant’s demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicant’s community. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (h).)

Existing law states that BSCC may award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $1,500,000 per grant cycle. The length of the grant cycle shall be determined by BSCC. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (h)(1).)

This bill increases the maximum award amount to $2,500,000 and provides that the grant cycle shall be at least three years.

This bill provides that upon making CalVIP grant awards, BSCC shall make at least 20 percent of an approved grantee’s total grant award available to the grantee at the start  of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.

Existing law requires each city that receives a CalVIP grant shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant funds to one or more of any of the following types of entities: (1) community-based organizations or (2) public agencies or departments, other than law enforcement agencies or departments, that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (j).)

This bill adds tribal governments to the types of listed entities.

Existing law requires BSCC to form a grant selection advisory committee, including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (k).)

This bill instead requires BSCC to form an executive steering committee including persons who have been impacted by community gun violence, formerly incarcerated persons,  subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention, the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director’s designee, and at least three  persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun  violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based  approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.

This bill authorizes BSCC, with the advice and assistance of the executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and have the highest need for violence intervention services.

This bill specifies that activities to build and sustain capacity in the field of community-based gun violence intervention and prevention may include any of the following:

• Contracting with or providing grants to organizations that provide training, certification, or continued professional development to community-based gun violence intervention and prevention professionals, including frontline professionals and technical assistance providers.
• Contracting with or providing grants to nonprofit intermediary organizations that foster the development and growth of community-based organizations dedicated to community gun violence intervention and prevention.
• Providing mental health support and other supportive services to frontline community gun violence intervention professionals in order to recruit, retain, and sustain these professionals in their field.
• Providing mental health services or financial assistance to family members of frontline community gun violence intervention professionals who are killed or violently injured in the performance of their work.

Existing law states that each grantee shall report to BSCC, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the board, their progress in achieving the grant objectives. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (m).)

Existing law requires BSCC, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, prepare and submit a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by CalVIP. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (n).)

This bill changes the timeline for the report to no later than 120 days following the close of each grant cycle.

This bill specifies that the changes made by this bill shall apply solely to CalVIP grant applications and awards made after January 1, 2024, and shall not be construed to affect grant applications or awards made prior to this date.

Existing law repeals the CalVIP provisions on January 1, 2025. (Pen. Code, § 14132.)

This bill removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025 and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.

COMMENTS

1. Need for This Bill

According to the author of this bill:

AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs.

1. Background on CalVIP

From 2007 to 2017, California’s budget acts appropriated $9.215 million per year to operate the California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) program, which provided matching grants to cities for initiatives to reduce youth-and gang-related crime. The budget acts between 2007 and 2017 guaranteed $1 million annually for the City of Los Angeles, with the remainder distributed to other cities of all sizes through a competitive application process, overseen by BSCC. In the 2017 Budget Act, the CalGRIP program, which was restructured to CalVIP, shifted the program away from initiatives targeting gang crime and affiliation toward a narrower and more objective focus on evidence-based violence prevention programs.

According to the BSCC website:

In October 2019 Governor Newsom signed the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (AB 1603). AB 1603 codified the establishment of CalVIP and defined its purpose: to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults.

The Break the Cycle of Violence act specifies that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Hospital-based violence intervention programs,
• Evidence-based street outreach programs, and
• Focused deterrence strategies.

These initiatives should seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults and shall be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future.

(BSCC, California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program – CalVIP https://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_cpgpcalvipgrant/ [as of Jun. 30, 2023].)

This bill would specify that the purpose of the CalVIP is to improve the public health and safety by supporting effective community gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by community gun violence. This bill would define “community gun violence” to mean “intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.” 

1. CalVIP Eligibility

Currently eligibility for the CalVIP grant program is described below:

Eligibility. Only cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence and the CBOs that serve the residents of those cities are eligible to apply for a CalVIP grant. Community-based organizations (CBOs) eligible for CalVIP funding include any nongovernmental organization that provides direct services to the community and meets the following eligibility criteria. Private individuals, independent contractors, professional grants management organizations, consulting firms, auditors, and evaluators may not apply directly for CalVIP funds (though they may be included as partners on a CalVIP grant project).

Funding thresholds. Eligible cities (see Table 1) and the CBOs that serve the residents of those cities may apply for up to $6 million with a specific set-aside for small-scope CBOs that are eligible to apply for up to $400,000.

The total available funding through this CalVIP Request for Proposals is $53,440,829.

Eligible grant activities. CalVIP grants must be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives that seek to interrupt cycles of violence. Strategies eligible for funding could include but are not limited to: hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused deterrence strategies.

Target population. Initiatives funded by CalVIP must be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future.

Match requirement. All applicants must provide a 100% match to state funds awarded (cash or in-kind).

Pass-through requirement for cities. City applicants must agree to distribute at least 50% of the grant funds it receives to one or more of the following: a) CBOs or b) public agencies (other than the lead applicant agency) that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.

(California Grants, https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/california-violence-intervention-and-prevention-calvip-grant-program-2/[as of Jun. 30, 2023].)

This bill would make several changes to CalVIP, including, but not limited to, who can apply, including counties and tribal governments, how much the applicant/grantee can receive, the immediate distribution of grant monies, eliminating matching funds, and making the program permanent.

1. Argument in Support

According to March for Our Lives Action Fund:

Since passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, California has become one of the nation’s leaders in investing in effective community-based violence intervention initiatives that work to interrupt entrenched cycles of shootings, trauma, and retaliation. This legislation is needed to ensure that California stays on this course, sustains recent investments, and keeps frontline violence intervention professionals in the field healing victims and stopping shootings before they occur.

In the years since passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, grantees and other stakeholders have also continued to build a record of best practices and identified some barriers to access and success. Accordingly, we have developed priorities for relatively technical but vital changes to the CalVIP grant program’s authorizing language to provide more definitions guidance for grant administrators and applicants, support broader investments for programs that train, certify, and support the field of violence prevention workers, and especially, to minimize administrative burdens and barriers to entry for gun violence intervention initiatives who lack significant financial resources to meet, for instance, the current 100% funding match requirement and all the accounting burdens that come with it for grantees and the state. We believe this Act would help effectively address these priorities, ensure more cities and organizations doing effective violence prevention work can focus on and expand that work, and build on the CalVIP program’s important successes to date.

-- END –

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 762

Author:(Wicks)

As Amended Ver:May 25, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Changes the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP), as well as the eligibility requirements for the grant, and makes the program permanent.

Major Provisions

1. Changes the purpose of CalVIP from reducing violence in the form of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults to reducing community gun violence.
2. States that, for the purposes of CalVIP, "community gun violence" means intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.
3. Expands CalVIP to counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, and to tribal governments.
4. Requires the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to take input from tribal governments on how to determine “compelling need”, in the context of tribal governments.
5. Revises CalVIP grant proposal requirements to include, but not limited, to the following:
   1. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiative, including how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at right of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun in the near future;
   2. For city and county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention; and,
   3. Require a CalVIP grant proposal statement regarding enhancing coordination of existing programs to include, where relevant, a description of efforts to coordinate with tribal governments located near or within the planned service delivery area.
6. States that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of community gun violence, in the applicant's community within the grant period, rather than reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults generally.
7. Allows the BSCC to award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $2.5 million per applicant per year. The length of the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
8. Requires the BSCC to award at least two grants to cities or counties with populations of 200,000 or less.
9. Eliminates the requirement that grant recipients must commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded.
10. Requires the BSCC, upon making CalVIP grant awards, to make at least 20% of approved grantee's total grant award available to the grantee at the start of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.
11. States that a city or county that receives a CalVIP grant shall distribute no less than 50% of the grant to one or more of any of the following types of entities, including tribal governments, as specified.
12. Requires the BSCC to form an executive steering committee including, without limitation:
    1. Persons who have been impacted by community gun violence;
    2. Formerly incarcerated persons;
    3. Subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention;
    4. The director of the California Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director's designee; and,
    5. At least three persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
13. Allows the BSCC to reserve up to $2 million of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program rather than the existing 5% allowed for administrative purposes. .
14. Allows the BSCC, with the advice and assistance of CalVIP executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5% of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and highest need for violence intervention services.
15. Provides that activities to build and sustain capacity in the field of community-based gun violence intervention and prevention may include, without limitation:
    1. Contracting with or providing grants to organizations that provide training, certification, or continued professional development to community-based gun violence intervention and prevention professionals, including frontline professionals and technical assistance providers;
    2. Contracting with or providing grants to nonprofit intermediary organizations that foster the development and growth of community-based organizations dedicated to community gun violence intervention and prevention;
    3. Providing mental health support and other supportive services to frontline community gun violence intervention professionals in order to recruit, retain, and sustain these professionals in their field; and,
    4. Providing mental health services or financial assistance to family members of frontline community gun violence intervention professionals who are killed or violently injured in the performance of their work.
16. Changes the reporting requirements the Legislature from 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, to 120 days.
17. Requires evaluations of CalVIP-supported initiatives be made available to the public.
18. States that these provisions shall only apply to CalVIP grant applications and awards made after January 1, 2024, and shall not be construed to affect grant applications or awards made prior to this date.
19. Removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025 and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.

COMMENTS

According to the Author

"Back in 2019, myself along with my colleague Asm. Petrie-Norris, authored and passed AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state's commitment to violence intervention professionals' lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

"AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs."

Arguments in Support

According to Urban Peace Institute, "Because of CalVIP, hundreds of violence intervention professionals across the state have been able to provide targeted services to protect and heal thousands of people at highest risk of community gun violence. From 2019-2022, the CalVIP program has invested over $250 million in community violence reduction initiatives to promote individuals' safety, help them recover from trauma and exposure to violence, and help deter retaliatory shootings. The vast majority of these investments were just awarded in two rounds of grant awards made in July and October 2022.

"However, without further action, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act will expire at the end of 2024. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state's commitment to violence intervention professionals' lifesaving work, we thank you for introducing this bill to renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

"Just a short time ago, when the Break the Cycle of Violence Act was enacted in 2019, California had provided stunningly little state investment or support ever for coordinated, community-based efforts to interrupt cycles of community gun violence. Other states and the federal government had also often similarly ignored this vital work, too often overlooking or tolerating astronomical rates of gun violence and massive racial and economic disparities in violent victimization and access to safety, particularly for young men and boys of color.

…

"In the years since passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, grantees and other stakeholders have also continued to build a record of best practices and identified some barriers to access and success. Accordingly, we have developed priorities for relatively technical but vital changes to the CalVIP grant program's authorizing language to provide more definitions guidance for grant administrators and applicants, support broader investments for programs that train, certify, and support the field of violence prevention workers, and especially, to minimize administrative burdens and barriers to entry for gun violence intervention initiatives who lack significant financial resources to meet, for instance, the current 100% funding match requirement and all the accounting burdens that come with it for grantees and the state. We believe this Act would help effectively address these priorities, ensure more cities and organizations doing effective violence prevention work can focus on and expand that work, and build on the CalVIP program's important successes to date."

Arguments in Opposition

None submitted.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, costs to BSCC (General Fund) of approximately $300,000 annually. BSCC reports that these costs would cover two additional FTE positions and travel, supplies, and indirect expenses required to fulfill the requirements of this bill for the CalVIP program.

VOTES

ASM PUBLIC SAFETY: 8-0-0

YES: Jones-Sawyer, Alanis, Bonta, Bryan, Lackey, Ortega, Santiago, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-1

YES: Holden, Megan Dahle, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Sanchez, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Robert Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: May 25, 2023

CONSULTANT: Elizabeth Potter / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0001005

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 762

Author:(Wicks)

As Amended Ver:April 17, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Changes the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP), as well as the eligibility requirements for the grant, and makes the program permanent.

Major Provisions

1. Changes the purpose of CalVIP from reducing violence in the form of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults to reducing community gun violence.
2. States that, for the purposes of CalVIP, "community gun violence" means intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.
3. Expands CalVIP to counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, and to tribal governments.
4. Revises CalVIP grant proposal requirements to include, but not limited, to the following:
   1. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiative, including how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at right of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun in the near future; and
   2. For city and county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
5. States that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of community gun violence, in the applicant’s community within the grant period, rather than reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults generally.
6. Allows the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $2.5 million per applicant per year. The length of the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
7. Requires the BSCC to award at least two grants to cities or counties with populations of 200,000 or less.
8. Eliminates the requirement that grant recipients must commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded.
9. Requires the BSCC, upon making CalVIP grant awards, to make at least 20% of approved grantee’s total grant award available to the grantee at the start of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.
10. States that a city or county that receives a CalVIP grant shall distribute no less than 50% of the grant to one or more of any of the following types of entities, as specified.
11. Requires the BSCC to form an executive steering committee including, without limitation:
    1. Persons who have been impacted by community gun violence;
    2. Formerly incarcerated persons;
    3. Subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention;
    4. The director of the California Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director’s designee; and,
    5. At least three persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
12. Allows the BSCC to reserve up to $2 million of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program rather than the existing 5% allowed for administrative purposes. .
13. Allows the BSCC, with the advice and assistance of CalVIP executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5% of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and highest need for violence intervention services.
14. Provides that activities to build and sustain capacity in the field of community-based gun violence intervention and prevention may include, without limitation:
    1. Contracting with or providing grants to organizations that provide training, certification, or continued professional development to community-based gun violence intervention and prevention professionals, including frontline professionals and technical assistance providers;
    2. Contracting with or providing grants to nonprofit intermediary organizations that foster the development and growth of community-based organizations dedicated to community gun violence intervention and prevention;
    3. Providing mental health support and other supportive services to frontline community gun violence intervention professionals in order to recruit, retain, and sustain these professionals in their field; and,
    4. Providing mental health services or financial assistance to family members of frontline community gun violence intervention professionals who are killed or violently injured in the performance of their work.
15. Changes the reporting requirements the Legislature from 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, to 120 days.
16. Requires evaluations of CalVIP-supported initiatives be made available to the public.
17. States that these provisions shall only apply to CalVIP grant applications and awards made after January 1, 2024, and shall not be construed to affect grant applications or awards made prior to this date.
18. Removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025 and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.

COMMENTS

According to the Author

"Back in 2019, myself along with my colleague Asm. Petrie-Norris, authored and passed AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

"AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs."

Arguments in Support

According to Urban Peace Institute, "Because of CalVIP, hundreds of violence intervention professionals across the state have been able to provide targeted services to protect and heal thousands of people at highest risk of community gun violence. From 2019-2022, the CalVIP program has invested over $250 million in community violence reduction initiatives to promote individuals’ safety, help them recover from trauma and exposure to violence, and help deter retaliatory shootings. The vast majority of these investments were just awarded in two rounds of grant awards made in July and October 2022.

"However, without further action, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act will expire at the end of 2024. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we thank you for introducing this bill to renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

"Just a short time ago, when the Break the Cycle of Violence Act was enacted in 2019, California had provided stunningly little state investment or support ever for coordinated, community-based efforts to interrupt cycles of community gun violence. Other states and the federal government had also often similarly ignored this vital work, too often overlooking or tolerating astronomical rates of gun violence and massive racial and economic disparities in violent victimization and access to safety, particularly for young men and boys of color.

…

"In the years since passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, grantees and other stakeholders have also continued to build a record of best practices and identified some barriers to access and success. Accordingly, we have developed priorities for relatively technical but vital changes to the CalVIP grant program’s authorizing language to provide more definitions guidance for grant administrators and applicants, support broader investments for programs that train, certify, and support the field of violence prevention workers, and especially, to minimize administrative burdens and barriers to entry for gun violence intervention initiatives who lack significant financial resources to meet, for instance, the current 100% funding match requirement and all the accounting burdens that come with it for grantees and the state. We believe this Act would help effectively address these priorities, ensure more cities and organizations doing effective violence prevention work can focus on and expand that work, and build on the CalVIP program’s important successes to date."

Arguments in Opposition

None submitted.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, costs to BSCC (General Fund) of approximately $300,000 annually. BSCC reports that these costs would cover two additional FTE positions and travel, supplies, and indirect expenses required to fulfill the requirements of this bill for the CalVIP program.

VOTES

ASM PUBLIC SAFETY: 8-0-0

YES: Jones-Sawyer, Alanis, Bonta, Bryan, Lackey, Ortega, Santiago, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-1

YES: Holden, Megan Dahle, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Mathis, Papan, Pellerin, Sanchez, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Robert Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: April 17, 2023

CONSULTANT: Elizabeth Potter / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0000715

Date of Hearing: May 10, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 762

Author:(Wicks) – As Amended Ver:April 17, 2023

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill changes the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program, alters the eligibility requirements for grant recipients, increases the maximum grant amount from $1.5 million to $2.5 million, and eliminates the program’s sunset date.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Changes the purpose of CalVIP from reducing violence in the form of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults to reducing community gun violence.
   
2. Expands CalVIP to counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence and to tribal governments.
   
3. Allows the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $2.5 million per applicant per year. The length of the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
   
4. Allows the BSCC to reserve up to $2 million of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program rather than the existing 5% allowed for administrative purposes.
   
5. Removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025, and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.
   

FISCAL EFFECT:

Costs to BSCC (General Fund) of approximately $300,000 annually. BSCC reports that these costs would cover two additional FTE positions and travel, supplies, and indirect expenses required to fulfill the requirements of this bill for the CalVIP program.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s Statement. According to the author:

Back in 2019, myself along with my colleague Asm. Petrie-Norris, authored and passed AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.

AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs.

1. Background. CalVIP provides funding for cities and community-based organizations to help reduce violence in the funded cities and adjacent areas. Through this program the BSCC distributes grant funding to evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including hospital-based intervention programs, street outreach programs, and deterrence strategies. This bill would shift CalVIP’s focus from violence reduction generally to reduction of community gun violence. Under this bill, grant applicants must propose an evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiative, and BSCC must give preference to initiatives that demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing community gun violence.
2. Related Legislation. AB 28 (Gabriel) imposes an excise tax on firearm and ammunition retailers and directs the first $75 million in available funds resulting from the tax to the CalVIP Program.

AB 912 (Jones-Sawyer), citing cost savings to the state from planned prison closures, funds early violence intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth recreational activities.

1. Prior Legislation. AB 1603 (Wicks), Chapter 735, Statutes of 2019, codified the CalVIP Program and the authority and duties of the BSCC in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants and reporting requirements to the Legislature.

AB 97 (Committee on Budget) Chapter 14, Statutes of 2017, among other provisions, provided more than $9 million to the BSCC for the purpose of administering CalVIP grants

AB 18 (Levine), of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, would have codified the CalVIP grant program and imposed a firearm excise tax of $25 on the purchase of a new firearm. AB 18 was held on this committee’s suspense file.

Analysis Prepared by: Annika Carlson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 25, 2023

Consultant: Elizabeth Potter

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr., Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:

Author:() – As Ver:

SUMMARY: Changes the purpose of the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP), as well as the eligibility requirements for the grant, and makes the program permanent. Specifically, this bill:

1. Changes the purpose of CalVIP from reducing violence in the form of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults to reducing community gun violence.
   
2. States that, for the purposes of CalVIP, “community gun violence” means intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.
   
3. Expands CalVIP to counties that have one or more cities disproportionately impacted by community gun violence, and to tribal governments.
   
4. Revises CalVIP grant proposal requirements to include, but not limited, to the following:
   
   1. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiative, including how the applicant will identify, engage, and provide violence intervention services to individuals at right of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun in the near future; and
      
   2. For city and county applicants, a statement demonstrating support for the proposed violence reduction initiative from one or more community-based organizations, or from a public agency or department other than a law enforcement agency that is primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
      
5. States that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of community gun violence, in the applicant’s community within the grant period, rather than reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults generally.
   
6. Allows the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to award competitive grants in amounts not to exceed $2,500,000 per applicant per year. The length of the grant cycle shall be at least three years.
   
7. Requires the BSCC to award at least two grants to cities or counties with populations of 200,000 or less.
   
8. Eliminates the requirement that grant recipients must commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded.
   
9. Requires the BSCC, upon making CalVIP grant awards, to make at least 20% of approved grantee’s total grant award available to the grantee at the start of the grant period or as soon as possible thereafter, in order to enable grantees to immediately utilize such funds to support violence reduction initiatives.
   
10. States that a city or county that receives a CalVIP grant shall distribute no less than 50 percent of the grant to one or more of any of the following types of entities, as specified.
    
11. Requires the BSCC to form an executive steering committee including, without limitation:
    
    1. Persons who have been impacted by community gun violence;
       
    2. Formerly incarcerated persons;
       
    3. Subject matter experts in community gun violence prevention and intervention;
       
    4. The director of the California Office of Gun Violence Prevention or the director’s designee; and,
       
    5. At least three persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based community gun violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population identified as high risk perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future.
       
12. Allows the BSCC to reserve up to $2,000,000 of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering and promoting the effectiveness of the program rather than the existing 5% allowed for administrative purposes. .
    
13. Allows the BSCC, with the advice and assistance of CalVIP executive steering committee, to reserve up to 5% of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the purpose of supporting programs and activities designed to build and sustain capacity in the field of community gun violence intervention and prevention, and to support detailed community gun violence problem analyses that help service providers and other stakeholders inform and develop community gun violence reduction initiatives by identifying individuals in their community who are at high risk of perpetrating or being victimized by community gun violence in the near future and highest need for violence intervention services.
    
14. Provides that activities to build and sustain capacity in the field of community-based gun violence intervention and prevention may include, without limitation:
    
    1. Contracting with or providing grants to organizations that provide training, certification, or continued professional development to community-based gun violence intervention and prevention professionals, including frontline professionals and technical assistance providers;
       
    2. Contracting with or providing grants to nonprofit intermediary organizations that foster the development and growth of community-based organizations dedicated to community gun violence intervention and prevention;
       
    3. Providing mental health support and other supportive services to frontline community gun violence intervention professionals in order to recruit, retain, and sustain these professionals in their field; and,
       
    4. Providing mental health services or financial assistance to family members of frontline community gun violence intervention professionals who are killed or violently injured in the performance of their work.
       
15. Changes the reporting requirements the Legislature from 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, to 120 days.
    
16. Requires evaluations of CalVIP-supported initiatives be made available to the public.
    
17. States that these provisions shall only apply to CalVIP grant applications and awards made after January 1, 2024, and shall not be construed to affect grant applications or awards made prior to this date.
    
18. Removes the sunset date of January 1, 2025 and allows the CalVIP to operate indefinitely.
    
19. Makes other technical and clarifying changes.
    

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes CalVIP, to be administered by the BSCC. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (a).)
   
2. States that the purpose of CalVIP is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (b).)
   
3. States that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including, without limitation, hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused-deterrence strategies, that seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (c).)
   
4. States that CalVIP grants shall be made on a competitive basis to cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, and to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (d).)
   
5. States that for purposes of CalVIP, a city is disproportionately impacted by violence if any of the following are true:
   
   1. The city experienced 20 or more homicides per calendar year during two or more of the three calendar years immediately preceding the grant application;
      
   2. The city experienced 10 or more homicides per calendar year and had a homicide rate that was at least 50%higher than the statewide homicide rate during two or more of the three calendar years immediately preceding the grant application; or,
      
   3. An applicant otherwise demonstrates a unique and compelling need for additional resources to address the impact of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults in the applicant’s community. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (e)(1)-(3).)
      
6. States that an applicant for a CalVIP grant shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the board, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   
   1. Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant;
      
   2. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based violence reduction initiative;
      
   3. A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services; and,
      
   4. Evidence indicating that the proposed violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (f)(1)-(4).)
      
7. States that in awarding CalVIP grants, the board shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (g).)
   
8. Requires the amount of funds awarded to an applicant to be commensurate with the scope of the applicant’s proposal and the applicant’s demonstrated need for additional resources to address violence in the applicant’s community. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (h).)
   
9. Requires grant recipients to commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant awarded. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (i).)
   
10. Requires each city that receives a CalVIP grant to distribute no less than 50%of the grant funds to community-based organizations or public agencies or departments, other than law enforcement agencies or departments, that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (j)(1)(2).)
    
11. Requires the board to form a grant selection advisory committee including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (k).)
    
12. States that the board may use up to 5% of the funds appropriated for CalVIP each year for the costs of administering the program including, without limitation, the employment of personnel, providing technical assistance to grantees, and evaluation of violence reduction initiatives supported by CalVIP. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (l).)
    
13. Requires grant recipients to report to the board, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the board, their progress in achieving the grant objectives. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (m).)
    
14. Requires the board, by no later than 90 days following the close of each grant cycle, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature regarding the impact of the violence prevention initiatives supported by CalVIP. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (n).)
    
15. Requires the board to make evaluations of the grant program available to the public. (Pen. Code, § 14131, subd. (o).)
    
16. Sunsets the CalVIP Grant program on January 1, 2025. (Pen. Code, § 14132.)

EXISTING FEDERAL LAW:

1. Allows the Attorney General of the United States to award grants to entities to provide personnel, training, technical assistance, advocacy, intervention, risk reduction (including using evidence-based indicators to assess the risk of domestic and dating violence homicide) and prevention of domestic violence. (34 U.S.C. § 20122.)
   
2. Allows the Attorney General of the United States, through the Director of the Violence Against Women Office, to make grants to community-based programs for the purpose of enhancing culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. (34 U.S. Code § 20124.)
   
3. Allows the Attorney General of the United States to make grants to institutions of higher education, for use by such institutions or consortia consisting of campus personnel, student organizations, campus administrators, security personnel, and regional crisis centers affiliated with the institution, to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campuses. (34 U.S. Code § 20125.)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

1. Author's Statement: According to the author, "Back in 2019, myself along with my colleague Asm. Petrie-Norris, authored and passed AB 1603, formerly known as the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which codified and significantly reformed the then-new CalVIP grant program. Within that measure however, a sunset date of January 1, 2025 was established. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we must renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.
   
   “AB 762 will indefinitely extend the provisions already established within the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. In addition, AB 762 will make various technical changes to the authorizing statute to clarify definitions for grant administrators and applicants, authorize tribal governments and counties to apply for grants, and incorporate some vetted best practices that will help address some of the barriers to access for new programs.”
   
2. California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program: The CalVIP grant program was established in 2017 and replaced the California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention grant program. According to the BSCC website “In October 2019 Governor Newsom signed the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (AB 1603). AB 1603 codified the establishment of CalVIP and defined its purpose: to improve public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly group-member involved homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. The Break the Cycle of Violence act specifies that CalVIP grants shall be used to support, expand and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including but not limited to:
   

• Hospital-based violence intervention programs,
• Evidence-based street outreach programs, and
• Focused deterrence strategies.

“These initiatives should seek to interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults and shall be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future.” (https://www.bscc.ca.gov/s_cpgpcalvipgrant/ [as of March 28, 2023])

This bill would change the purpose of the CalVIP. Rather than focusing on various forms of violence, including shootings but also assaults and homicides in general, this bill would limit the purpose of CalVIP to community gun violence. This bill would define community gun violence as intentional acts of interpersonal violence involving a firearm, generally committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim, and which result in physical injury, emotional harm, or death.

1. Requirements for Grant Applicants: The CalVIP grant program is meant to be used by cities that disproportionately suffer from violence. The CalVIP eligibility lists the requirements for eligibility on their website as follows:
   
   “Eligible grant activities - CalVIP grants must be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives that seek to interrupt cycles of violence. Strategies eligible for funding could include but are not limited to: hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused deterrence strategies.
   
   “Target population - Initiatives funded by CalVIP must be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future.
   
   “Match requirement - All applicants must provide a 100% match to state funds awarded (cash or in-kind).
   
   “Pass-through requirement for cities - City applicants must agree to distribute at least 50% of the grant funds it receives to one or more of the following: a) CBOs or b) public agencies (other than the lead applicant agency) that are primarily dedicated to community safety or violence prevention.
   
   “Reporting requirements - CalVIP grantees will be required to submit quarterly progress reports, a Local Evaluation Plan (6 months post-award) and a Final Local Evaluation Report.” (https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/california-violence-intervention-and-prevention-calvip-grant-program-2/ [as of March 30, 2023]).
   
   The current requirements for a community based organization (CBO’s) to receive a CalVIP grant include, but not limited to: awarding grants to high risk areas; be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives that seek to interrupt cycles of violence; and have matching funding.
   
   This bill would make comprehensive changes to CalVIP, including, but not limited to, who can apply, including cities and counties with tribal governments, how much the applicant/grantee can receive, the immediate distribution of grant monies, eliminating matching funds, and making the program permanent.
   
2. Argument in Support: According to Urban Peace Institute, “Because of CalVIP, hundreds of violence intervention professionals across the state have been able to provide targeted services to protect and heal thousands of people at highest risk of community gun violence. From 2019-2022, the CalVIP program has invested over $250 million in community violence reduction initiatives to promote individuals’ safety, help them recover from trauma and exposure to violence, and help deter retaliatory shootings. The vast majority of these investments were just awarded in two rounds of grant awards made in July and October 2022.
   
   “However, without further action, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act will expire at the end of 2024. To foster program stability, longer-term strategic planning, and renew the state’s commitment to violence intervention professionals’ lifesaving work, we thank you for introducing this bill to renew the Break the Cycle of Violence Act and write the CalVIP program more permanently into the public safety infrastructure of our state.
   
   “Just a short time ago, when the Break the Cycle of Violence Act was enacted in 2019, California had provided stunningly little state investment or support ever for coordinated, community-based efforts to interrupt cycles of community gun violence. Other states and the federal government had also often similarly ignored this vital work, too often overlooking or tolerating astronomical rates of gun violence and massive racial and economic disparities in violent victimization and access to safety, particularly for young men and boys of color.
   
   …
   
   “In the years since passage of the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, grantees and other stakeholders have also continued to build a record of best practices and identified some barriers to access and success. Accordingly, we have developed priorities for relatively technical but vital changes to the CalVIP grant program’s authorizing language to provide more definitions guidance for grant administrators and applicants, support broader investments for programs that train, certify, and support the field of violence prevention workers, and especially, to minimize administrative burdens and barriers to entry for gun violence intervention initiatives who lack significant financial resources to meet, for instance, the current 100% funding match requirement and all the accounting burdens that come with it for grantees and the state. We believe this Act would help effectively address these priorities, ensure more cities and organizations doing effective violence prevention work can focus on and expand that work, and build on the CalVIP program’s important successes to date.”
   
3. Related Legislation: AB 912 (Jones-Sawyer), would reinvest cost savings from Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prison closures by funding early violence intervention programs, school-based physical and mental health services, and youth recreational activities.
   
4. Prior Legislation:
   
   1. AB 1603 (Wicks), Chapter 735, Statutes of 2019, codified the establishment of the CalVIP and the authority and duties of the BSCC in administering the program, including the selection criteria for grants and reporting requirements to the Legislature. .
      
   2. AB 18 (Levine), of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, would have codified the CalVIP grant program and additionally imposed a firearm excise tax in the amount of $25 on the purchase of a new firearm. AB 18 was held on the Assembly Committee on Appropriations suspense file.
      
   3. AB 656 (Eduardo Garcia), of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, would have appropriated $6,000,000 from the General Fund in order to establish the Office of Healthy and Safe Communities under the direction of the California Surgeon General and the Governor, which would have provided a comprehensive violence prevention strategy. AB 656 was held on the Senate Committee on Appropriations suspense file.
      
   4. SB 934 (Allen), of the 2017-2018 Legislative Session, would have codified the CalVIP grant program. SB 934 died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
      
   5. AB 97 (Committee on Budget? ), Chapter 14, Statutes of 2017, among other things, provided more than $9,000,000 to the BSCC for the purpose of administering CalVIP grants to cities and community-based organizations for violence intervention and prevention activities.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Alameda Health System
Brady Campaign
California Partnership for Safe Communities
California Public Defenders Association (CPDA)
Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ)
City of Oakland - Department of Violence Prevention
Equal Justice USA
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund
Giffords
Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
Juma Ventures
Los Angeles County Hospital-based Violence Intervention Consortium
March for Our Lives Action Fund
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Movement 4 Life
Prosecutors Alliance California
Shaphat Outreach
Soledad Enrichment Action, INC.
Southern California Crossroads
Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention
Toberman Neighborhood Center
Urban Peace Institute
Youth Alive!

Opposition

None

Analysis Prepared by: