California Senate Bill SB877 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 877AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE FEBRUARY 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senator Pan (Principal  coauthor:   Senator   Monning   coauthors:   Senators   Monning   and Wolk  ) (Coauthor: Assembly Member Bonta) JANUARY 15, 2016 An act to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 131230) to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 112 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to public health. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 877, as amended, Pan. Reporting and tracking of violent deaths. Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health, which is responsible for various programs relating to the health and safety of people in the state, including licensing health facilities, regulating food and drug safety, and monitoring and preventing communicable and chronic diseases. This bill would require the department to establish and maintain the California Electronic Violent Death Reporting System. The bill would further require the department to collect data on violent deaths, as specified, and contract with counties to collect certain data, and would authorize the department to apply for grants to implement these provisions. The bill would also make related legislative findings and declarations. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Information and data regarding violent deaths can help provide states and communities with a clearer understanding of violent deaths and therefore lead to better prevention of violent deaths. (b) According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, violence accounts for approximately  51,000   56,000  deaths annually. Violent deaths result from the intentional use of physical force or power against oneself, another person, or a group or community, and include suicide, homicide, and legal intervention deaths. Violence adversely affects all Americans, not only through premature death, but also through medical costs and lost productivity. (c) The CDC further notes that the cost of these deaths totaled $47.2 billion: $47 billion in work loss costs and $215 million in medical treatment. (d) In 2002, the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) was established as a surveillance system that pulls together data on violent deaths. NVDRS collects information from death certificates, coroner or medical examiner reports, police reports, and crime laboratories. (e) NVDRS data informs decisionmakers and program planners about the magnitude, trends, and characteristics of violent deaths in a particular state or community so appropriate prevention efforts can be identified and implemented, and the data facilitates the evaluation of state-based prevention programs and strategies. (f) According to NVDRS, a national system will allow the CDC to provide information for every state to inform their prevention efforts. It will also ensure enhanced information on the national scope of the problem of violent deaths is available to monitor and track trends and to inform national efforts. SEC. 2. Article 3 (commencing with Section 131230) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 112 of the Health and Safety Code, to read: Article 3. Electronic Violent Death Reporting System 131230. (a) The department shall establish and maintain the California Electronic Violent Death Reporting System. (b) The department shall collect data on violent deaths as reported from data sources, including, but not limited to, death certificates, law enforcement reports, and coroner or medical examiner reports. (c) The department shall contract with counties to collect the data specified in subdivision (b). (d) The department may apply for grants provided under the National Violent Death Reporting System of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for purposes of implementing this section. (e) The department may accept private or foundation moneys to implement this section. (f) This section does not limit data sources that the department may collect, which may include any public agency document that may contain data on violent deaths.