BILL NUMBER: SR 8ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE FEBRUARY 11, 2013 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 19, 1950 AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 31, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senators Yee, Corbett, Evans, Galgiani, Hancock, Jackson, Liu, and Wolk JANUARY 9, 2013 Relative to violence against women LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST WHEREAS, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was developed with the input of advocates from around the country and from all walks of life, and addresses the real and most important needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. VAWA is responsive, streamlined, and constitutionally and fiscally sound, while providing strong accountability measures and appropriate federal government oversight; and WHEREAS, VAWA represents the voices of women and their families, and the voices of victims, survivors, and advocates; and WHEREAS, VAWA was first enacted in 1994, and has been the centerpiece of the federal government's efforts to stamp out domestic and sexual violence. Critical programs authorized under VAWA include support for victim services, transitional housing, and legal assistance; and WHEREAS, Domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, once considered private matters to be dealt with behind closed doors, have been brought out of the darkness; and WHEREAS, VAWA has been successful because it has had consistently strong, bipartisan support for nearly two decades; and WHEREAS, While annual rates of domestic violence have dropped more than 50 percent, domestic violence remains a serious issue. Every day in the United States, three women are killed by abusive husbands and partners. In California in 2010, there were 166,361 domestic violence calls, including more than 65,000 that involved a weapon; and WHEREAS, There is a need to maintain services for victims and families at the local, state, and federal levels. Reauthorization would allow existing programs to continue uninterrupted, and would provide for the development of new initiatives to address key areas of concern. These initiatives include the following: (a) Addressing the high rates of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault among women 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive, by combating tolerant youth attitudes toward violence. (b) Improving the response to sexual assault with best practices, training, and communication tools for law enforcement, as well as health care and legal professionals. (c) Preventing domestic violence homicides through enhanced training for law enforcement, advocates, and others who interact with those at risk. A growing number of experts agree that these homicides are predictable, and therefore preventable, if we know the warning signs; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate requests the United States Congress to pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, Senate Bill No. 47, sponsored by Senator Leahy, and House Bill No. 11, sponsored by Congresswoman Moore, and ensure the sustainability of vital programs designed to keep women and families safe from violence and abuse; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.