Legislative Advocacy

Youth ALIVE! advocates for sensible policies that reduce gun, gang, family and dating violence and that promote justice and equity for communities disproportionately affected by violence.

 

Help save violence prevention funding in Oakland today!

 

Current Legislation

Youth ALIVE! knows that in order to achieve our goals of a safe, equitable, and just community, we need to change the conditions we live in. This is why Youth ALIVE! is strongly supporting the following bills in 2023.

Legislative Priorities

  • Co-sponsor SB 655 (Durazo) Equitable Access to Victim Compensation: Would ensure more people can access healing resources by addressing the barriers to eligibility victims and survivors experience when applying for victim compensation benefits. Status: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee on 4/11.
  • Co-Sponsor SB 838 (Menjivar) – Equal Access for Victims of Police Violence: Expands eligibility for the Victim Compensation Program by making victims of police violence eligible, and ensures the survivors of homicide victims can receive benefits regardless of whether they cooperate with police. Also makes sure that biased or unfair police reports do not prevent people from getting the healing resources they need. Status: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee UNANIMOUSLY on 3/28. Submit your own letter of support for SB 838 to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
  • Strong Support for AB 28: Funding violence prevention through a tax on guns and ammunition. Status: Passed Assembly Public Safety Committee on 4/11. 

 

You can submit a letter to support these policies, too!

Additional policies we have taken action on:

  • SB 377: Builds police accountability for firearm purchases by preventing the sale of illegal guns, and more scrutiny on firearm dealers to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to dealers who do not follow state and federal laws. Status: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee on 3/28.

 

Past Legislation

2022

  • Treating Violence like a Public Health Crisis by Co-Sponsoring AB 1929: Funding Violence Prevention through Medi-Cal. This bill would require the state’s Medi-Cal system to cover violence prevention services, to create a sustainable funding stream for violence prevention and intervention programs, like Caught in the Crossfire, Youth ALIVE!’s Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP).  Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom on 08/22/22.
  • Reforming California’s Victim Compensation Program by Co-Sponsoring SB 993Would ensure more people can access healing resources by addressing the barriers to eligibility victims and survivors experience when applying for victim compensation benefits. Status: Did not pass.
  • Co-Sponsor SB 299 – Equal Access for Victims of Police Violence: Expands eligibility for the Victim Compensation Program by making victims of police violence eligible, and ensures the survivors of homicide victims can receive benefits regardless of whether they cooperate with police. Also makes sure that biased or unfair police reports do not prevent people from getting the healing resources they need. Status: Did not pass. Learn more about the bill from this SB 299 Fact Sheet.
  • Support SB 1273: Eliminates mandated reporting to law enforcement for student misbehavior in schools. Status: Held in Assembly Education Committee
  • Support AB 2417: Ensure youth in custody have an understanding of their basic human rights and protections afforded under the law. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support AB 2195: Allows defendants to plead down certain charges to “public nuisance” to avoid immigration consequences (e.g. automatic deportation). Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support AB 1842: Limits how much gun dealers can charge for order cancellation fees so buyers have less financial pressure to follow through on a purchase. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support AB 228: Would require the CA Department of Justice to conduct inspections of firearm dealers at least every three years, and audit the dealer’s record to make sure they are complying with the law. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support AB 2697: Ensure Community Health Workers (CHWs) are provided with necessary support to perform their roles within communities of color and other historically excluded communities. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support SB 1200Would reduce the interest rate on court ordered personal debt of $50,000 and under, and medical debt of $200,000 and under, to the federal prime rate at the time of judgement, with a cap of 5%. Would also end unlimited renewals on debt judgements but retain collector liens on debtor property. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom
  • Support AB 2361: Would require a judge to have clear and convincing evidence that a youth would not be responsive or amenable to the care, treatment, and training programs available in juvenile court before the judge can transfer the minor to adult court. Status: Signed into law by Governor Newsom

2021

  • Support AB 118: Would establish the Community Response Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Systems (CRISES) grant program to help fund community-based responses to emergencies. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Support AB 333: Limits the ways gang enhancements can be unfairly applied in court proceedings to maximize prison sentences. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Support AB 481: Would create transparency and accountability for local law enforcement agencies that attempt to purchase or use military equipment by requiring local government oversight. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Support AB 503: Limits the time young people spend on probation, and makes sure probation terms are developmentally appropriate and individually tailored to the young person. Status: Inactive.
  • Support AB 1191: Requires the Department of Justice to analyze crime gun data and report findings to the California State Legislature about trends and patterns related to how crime guns are sold and trafficked. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Support SB 493: Ensures stable funding for critical services run by schools, public health agencies, and community-based organizations to support justice-involved youth. Status: Inactive.
  • Support AB 124: Directs judges and prosecutors to consider the impact of violence experienced by a defendant during plea negotiations, sentencing, and/or when a survivor petitions to be re-sentenced. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Support AB 292: Would ensure that in-prison programming can continue in order to prevent disruptions to rehabilitative programming and credit earning for individuals who are incarcerated. Status: Signed by Governor Newsom into law!
  • Oppose AB 669: Would allow probation officers to possess unsafe handguns without completion of the entire Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic Course. Status: Inactive.

2020

  • Co-Sponsor AB 767: Makes victims of police violence eligible for Victim Compensation. Expands eligibility for the Victim Compensation Program by making requirements more trauma-informed to better support the healing of trauma survivors.  You can read this AB 767 Fact Sheet to learn more about the bill. Status: This bill is no longer moving forward.
  • Co-Sponsor AB 2649: Prioritizes the needs of the families of homicide victims by certifying that families cannot be denied financial assistance for burying their loved ones based on the actions of the deceased. Status: This bill is no longer moving forward.
  • Support AB 2992: Provides leave time and unemployment benefits for victims of violent crime. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 2617: Allows the state to enforce out-of-state Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs). Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 2054: Creates a pilot program to support community-based emergency services. Status: Vetoed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 2425: Ensures record privacy of youth who have interacted with the juvenile justice system. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 2847: Improves California’s law on firearm microstamping – allowing better tracing of firearms used in violent crimes. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support SB 1190: Would allow victims of violent crime and their family members to break a lease without penalties. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Oppose AB 2532: Would authorize District Attorneys to represent law enforcement in proceedings related to Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO). By greatly expanding the GVRO law, this bill could open the law for potential abuse with no protections for communities disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. Status: This bill is no longer moving forward.
  • Support AB 1007: Reinvests Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funding back into community-based services and calls for greater community representation on stakeholder boards. Status: this bill is no longer moving forward.
  • Support AB 1196: Prohibits law enforcement from authorizing the use of chokeholds and other techniques involves significant risk of asphyxiation. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support SB 731: Creates a mechanism for the state to decertify police officers based on misconduct. Status: This bill is no longer moving forward.
  • Support SB 1290: Ends the collection of juvenile justice fees, which stopped being imposed in 2018. Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support SB 823: Close DJJ the Right Way Status: Signed by the Governor.
  • Support SB 555: Reduce the costs of commissary items and outgoing calls for individuals in jail and juvenile detention centers. Status: Vetoed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 2542: Racial Justice Act gives people an opportunity to challenge criminal charges & convictions based on evidence of racial bias in their trials. Status: Signed by the Governor.

2019

  • Support AB 166: Provides Medi-Cal coverage for services provided by Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs like Caught in the Crossfire and other members of the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention. Read the fact sheet for more information. Status: Vetoed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 1603: Funds the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program. You can also read our Coalition support letterStatus: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Oppose AB 665: Would legalize sentencing juveniles to life without parole.
  • Support SB 284: Discourages counties from sending juveniles to the state correctional facilities (DJJ). Status: Vetoed by the Governor.
  • Support AB 392: Restricts police use of deadly force. Read the fact sheet and the comparison to SB 230 for more information. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Oppose SB 230: Would not meaningfully address police use of deadly force. This is a distraction from real reform. Status: Signed into law.
  • Support SB 419: Eliminates Willful Defiance Suspensions. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Support SB 394: Would allow courts to assign pre-trial diversion, instead of incarceration, for parents charged with low-level offenses. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Support AB 18: Taxes semi-automatic weapons to fund violence intervention programs through CalVIP – the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program.
  • Support AJR 4: Urges Congress enact HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. Status: PASSED!
  • Support SB 221: Requires law enforcement to track firearm inventory and report lost or stolen firearms to DOJ. Status: Died in Committee.
  • Support AB 165: Requires the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) implement training on gun violence restraining orders (GVROs). Status: Died in Committee.
  • Support AB 879: Regulates so-called “Ghost Guns”  which are firearms made from assembling “Firearm Precursor Parts”. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Support SB 376: Improves licensing requirements for so-called “infrequent” firearm dealers. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Support SB 220: Requires gun dealers to take steps to prevent “crash and grab” where someone drives a car through the front of a gun store and then steals guns.
  • Support AB 656: Creates the Office of Healthy and Safe Communities which would develop and execute strategies to end cycles of violence throughout California.
  • Support AJR 5: Urges the federal government to use California as an example for firearm legislation. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!
  • Support ACR 115: Urges banks that do business with the state of California to re-evaluate their relationships with gun manufacturers.

2018

AB 931: This bill would protect community members by allowing law enforcement to use deadly force only when it is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury. Status: Died in Committee.

AB 1639: This bill would prohibit CalVCB from denying an application for a claim solely because the victim or derivative victim is a person who is listed in the CalGang system or alleged by local law enforcement to be gang involved. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!

AB 2100 (Co-Sponsor): AB 2100, a bill that Youth ALIVE! co-sponsored, supports physical and emotional recovery for Californians injured by gun or other violence, through the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, to include services provided by community violence peer counselors. If you are interested in supporting this as well please see the fact sheet and use the following template. Status: Died in Committee.

AB 3131: This bill will enhance transparency and accountability in the acquisition of military equipment in our local communities. Status: Vetoed by the Governor.

SB 1232: This bill aims to extend the time period during which young crime victims may file applications for compensation from the California Victim Compensation Board Restitution Fund. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!

SB 1242 (Opposition): We oppose this bill, which would add arbitrary hurdles to earning parole that are unrelated to public safety. Status: Died in Committee.

SB 1391: This bill would end the transfer to adult court of children 14 and 15 years of age.  Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!

SB 1421: This bill would improve law enforcement transparency and accountability. Status: SIGNED INTO LAW!

Youth Reinvestment Fund (Support): This focuses on funding proven youth diversion programs that would keep California’s young people out of prison and give them the second chances they deserve.

2017

AB 699 Protect Students from Overzealous Immigration Raids

AB 785 The Disarm Hate Act

AB 1008 Fair Chance Act

AB 1114 Workforce Training for the Reentry Population

AB 1402 (Opposition)

AB 1639 Victim Compensation Fund Eligibility

SB 190 Ending Juvenile Administrative Fees

SB 607 Reducing Suspensions/Expulsions for Minor Incidents

SB 941 Removing Juvenile Administrative Fees

2016

AB 1663 Require Semi-Automatic Rifles to Have Fixed Ammunition Magazines

AB 1664 Close the Bullet Button Loophole in Assault Weapons Ban

AB 1674 Limit Firearm Purchases to One Per Month

AB 1726 Accounting for Health and Education in API Demographics Act

AB 2165 (Opposition) Undermining the Unsafe Handgun Act

AB 2160 (Support)

AB 2459 Transparent Gun Sales

AB 2607 (Support)

SB 880 Close the “Button Bullet Loophole”

SB 894 Reporting Lost/Stolen Firearms

SB 1006 UC Firearm Violence Research Center.

SB 1219 (Support)

SB 1286 Public Access to Information

SB 1322 No Such Thing as a Child Sex Worker

SB 1404 (Amend)

SB 1446 Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines Ban

SJR 20 Lift the Prohibition on Publicly Funded Research

SB 1004 (Opposition)

SB 1324 Extend Violence Peer Counselor Sunset Provision

Support for SB 1324 (Governor)

SFA Endorsements (Safety for All)

Support Flint Families Letter in Support of the Children of Flint, Michigan

Support for FEH (Fair Employment and Housing)

Open Letter to California’s Educational Leaders

2015

AB 71 Public Safety and Law Enforcement Transparency

AB 256 Electronic Evidence

AB 329 Stable Housing for Re-entry

AB 953 Preventing the Harmful and Unjust Practice of Racial and Identity Profiling

AB 1118 Procedural Justice

AB 1140 Modernizing the California Victim Compensation Program

SB 4 Improved Health Services, Academic Support and Neighborhood Safety

SB 124 Preventing/Limiting Use of Solitary Confinement in Youth Lock-ups

SB 261 Parole Review for Young Adults with Lengthy or Life Sentences

-SB 261 Fact Sheet

SB 347 Firearms: Prohibited Persons

SB 382 Clarifying Criteria for Fitness Hearings

SB 411 Right to Record Law Enforcement

SB 527 Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund Education Grant Program

SB 592 Healthy Relationship and Safe Schools Act (TNT supported legislation)

SB 707 No Concealed Weapons on Campus

2014

AB 420 Willful Defiance (TNT Youth Leaders’ support)

AB 1014 Temporary Gun Restraining Order

AB 1165 Pupil Instruction: Sexual Abuse and Sex Trafficking Prevention Education

AB 1609 Enforcement of Interstate Gun Trafficking Law

AB 1629 VOC Peer Counseling Reimbursement

AB 1756 Juvenile Record Sealing

AB 1964 Unsafe Handguns

SB 1150 Medical and Mental Health Same Day Benefits

SB 53 Ammunition Regulation

SB 1055 Public School Health Centers

SB 1396 Schoolwide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

Minimum Wage Increase Support Letter

2013

AB 169 Support letter to the Governor

AB 174 Services in School-Based Health Centers for Students Impacted by Trauma – Support

AB 180 Support letter to the Governor

AB 187 Ammunition Tax for Public Safety Services – Support

AB 549 Ensuring the Safety of Studnets through Positive School Climates – Support

AB 761 CalPERS/CalSTRS: Firearms Divestment – Support

AB 1131 Support letter to the Governor

SB 140 Armed Prohibited Person System Enforcement – Support

SB 140 Support letter to the Governor

SB 299 Lost or Stolen Firearms – Support

SB 374 Support letter to the Governor

SB 396 Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines Ban – Support

SB 552 Violence Awareness – Support

SB 755 Support letter to the Governor

SB 374, SB 396, SB 47, SB 567, SB 53, SB 755, SB 140, & SB 683 – Support

2012

AB 48 Firearms, Ammunition, Sales – Support