On May 9, Governor Newsom released his May Budget Revision, which, though it did not include increased prevention funding, did include the following items that may impact the work of domestic violence programs and support survivors. None of these proposals are final; the legislature is still considering all of these items and more, and negotiations will continue through mid-June.

• Expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to eight weeks per parent.
  • The Partnership is collaborating with Work & Family Coalition and the California Economic Development Department to help raise access to and awareness of paid leave and other related benefits. Research shows that economic security, access to support benefits, and financial independence all help support healthy relationships with our loved ones, thus decreasing relationship violence.
• $1 billion to address homelessness
  • The Partnership is working with homelessness advocates to ensure that this funding supports the needs of domestic violence survivors. (Click here for Housing California’s statement)
• $20 million one-time funding for grants to nonprofits to assist with landlord-tenant disputes, including legal assistance for counseling, renter education programs and preventing evictions.
  • The Partnership is working with Legal Aid Association of California and others to ensure that there’s a significant increase to legal aid funding to allow legal aid organizations to provide the comprehensive services that clients need.
• Increase CalWORKs grants from $785 a month to $888 a month for a family of three, at a full year cost of $455 million. (For Western Center on Law & Poverty’s statement click here)
• More than $100 million for improving trauma screening for children and the training of health care providers charged with performing the screenings and providing treatment for children experiencing trauma stemming from adverse childhood experiences. (Click here for Californian’s for Safety and Justice’s statement)
• $98 million to expand full-scope Medi-Cal coverage to eligible adults aged 19 to 25, regardless of immigration status. (Click here for California Immigrant Policy Center’s statement)
• In the next year, the Governor’s Administration will develop a plan to consolidate the Office of Emergency Services and the Victim Compensation Board victims programs within a new state department under the Government Operations Agency, and may identify victims programs in other departments that could also be consolidated.
  • The Governor’s Administration intends to submit the consolidation of victims’ services proposal as part of the 2020-21 budget.
  • The Partnership is working with a range of crime victim advocacy organizations to determine our strategy for weighing in on this process.