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Courtesy of StudioCity.Patch.com, April 17, 2012
State Senator Fran Pavley’s (D-Agoura Hills) Senate Bill 1091, a bill to help increase convictions of perpetrators against children and other vulnerable victims by helping them testify without fear, was approved this morning by the Senate Public Safety Committee on a unanimous, bipartisan vote.
SB 1091, sponsored by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, will provide trial assistance for victims of child pornography, pimping, pandering and for sex trafficking. Current law allows trial assistance for crime victims testifying for preliminary exams; trials involving homicide, elder and dependent abuse; rape and most crimes, but it does not include the assistance for certain sex crimes against minors and other victims.
Senator Pavley said this bill closes the loophole in the law. Senator Pavley said, “Victims in child pornography cases are in need of protection and the comfort of a support person. If they are called to testify, they have to recall horrific and traumatic experiences.”
Jim Provenza, Special Assistant District Attorney with Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said, “This legislation would give the child the right to have up to two support persons present during court testimony. Experience has demonstrated that the presence of support persons helps victims testify accurately and completely.”
Provenza added, “Testifying in court is a very traumatic experience for a young child, particularly a victim of human trafficking or other sex related crimes. Ms. Kathleen Cady, Deputy District Attorney from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office Victim Witness Assistance Program testified on the importance of providing support for traumatized victim’s testifying in emotional court trials.
Senator Pavley said, “SB 1091 could help provide humane support to witnesses critical in the prosecution of approximately 126 pornography cases, 97 prostitution cases and 3 human trafficking cases in Los Angeles County alone.”
SB 1091 now moves to the Senate Floor for consideration of the full Senate. In addition to the bill’s sponsor, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, other supporters include the California Police Chiefs Association, California Communities United Institute, California Victims United of California, the Junior Leagues of California and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking.
To see article and related news go here: http://studiocity.patch.com/articles/senator-pavley-s-bill-to-increase-convictions-for-sex-crimes-against-minors-approved-unanimously-in-senate-committee
ACR 53, the Kelly Martinez Act, passed out of the Senate Floor and will be soon enrolled and chaptered. Senator Carol Liu presented it and it received unanimous AYE vote!
Kelly Martinez’ husband, Raul, has spoken at legislative hearings for the past two years, and has helped a great deal to have this and our previous perinatal depression bill pass. We received the following message from Raul:
“Thank you all so much for your efforts. Words can’t describe how much this means to our family. Thank you. Raul”
Thank you to everyone for your efforts in supporting the passage of ACR53– another success in addressing the needs of people who may suffer from perinatal depression.
To see the latest photos of our delegates and legislators recognizing ACR 53, view the links below:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1ZDyeBajEUJRMnrP7Kpa07F-ExT_R7XA8UUkffAwx-Vw
To see the latest photos of our delegates and legislators recognizing ACR 53, view the links below:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1ZDyeBajEUJRMnrP7Kpa07F-ExT_R7XA8UUkffAwx-Vw
http://laperinatalmentalhealth.com/news-events-2/
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.226518940697388.76165.125339114148705
The State Public Affairs Committee for the Junior Leagues of California convened in Sacramento April 30th and May 1st for their annual Spring Conference. The delegation voted to officially support 10 additional bills, bringing the current total to 30. Click here for the complete list: Junior Leagues of California Support Bills 2010-2011
The State Public Affairs Committee for the Junior Leagues of California convened in San Diego March 18th and 19th for their annual Winter Conference. The following is a list of the bills pending in the Assembly and the Senate that the SPAC delegation voted to officially support:
Health
AB 137 Health Care Coverage: Mammographies (Portantino)
AB 395 Newborn Screening Program (Pan)
AB 581 Public Health Food Initiative (John A. Pérez)
SB 255 Breast Cancer Surgery (Pavley)
SB 36 County Health Matching Funds (Simitian)
Family Support
AB 181 Foster Youth Mental Health Bill of Rights (Portantino)
AB 194 Public Higher Education: Priority Enrollment Foster Youth (Beall)
AB 212 Fostering Connections to Success Act (Beall)
SB 299 Employment Pregnancy or Childbirth Leave (Evans)
SB 33 Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse (Simitian)
Education
AB 123 School Safety: Disruption Threatening Pupil’s Immediate Physical Safety (Mendoza)
AB 25 Athletics: Concussions and Injuries (Hayashi)
Violence Prevention
AB 12 Abolition of Child Commerce, Exploitation, and Sexual Slavery Act of 2011 (Swanson)
AB 322 Forensic Evidence: Rape Kits (Portantino)
AB 545 Domestic Violence: Corporal Injury (John A. Pérez)
AB 588 Tenancy: Victims of Domestic Violence (V. Manuel Pérez)
AB 630 Public Safety: Bullying (Hueso)
AB 799 Commercially Sexually Exploited Minors (Swanson)
SB 557 Family Justice Centers (Kehoe)
SB 723 Restraining Orders (Pavley)
SPAC will convene again in Sacramento on April 30th and May 1st for their annual Spring Conference where the bills that the SPAC sub-committees are currently watching will be discussed.
