Sacramento – Yesterday AB 1268, a bill designed to address domestic violence around the state, passed out of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety with a vote of 7-0. The bill was created in response to the April 10th tragedy at the North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino that claimed the lives of a special needs teacher and a small child that was standing by her as a result of an escalation of domestic violence. AB 1268 would evaluate existing domestic violence programs and policies throughout the state and establish the California Domestic Violence Prevention Fund for the purpose of providing grants to agencies and non-profits to educate communities on domestic violence.
“Communicating effectiviely about domestic violence is challenging,” said Assemblymember Reyes. “As I spoke with advocates regarding how to address this problem it became clear to me that we must do more to educate communities about domestic violence, its different forms and the resources available for those who have been or are currently being abused”
The bill was received enthusiastically with a request from Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D- Baldwin Park) requesting to be a joint author on the bill with Public Safety Committee Chair Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) committing to collaborate moving forward on the issue. "One of the best ways to prevent domestic violence is through education, and this bill takes a smart approach by partnering with local non-profits and agencies. I am glad to work with Assemblymember Reyes to secure the funding to make this happen."
On April 12th, two days after the shooting, Assemblymember Reyes held a joint press conference with Option House, a San Bernardino based 501c3 whose mission is to empower victims of domestic violence while providing 24-hour crisis intervention services. The purpose of the press conference was to discuss the issue of domestic violence and the impact that it has on families, children and the community as well as the importance of speaking out when it happens.
According to the California Women‘s Health Survey (CWHS), approximately 40% of California women experience physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime and pursuant to information from the California Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Center, there were 113 domestic violence fatalities in 2008 (the most recent year for which data is available). Lt. Michael Madden, a first responder to the shooting, shared that they had investigated 58,000 reports of domestic violence last year alone in San Bernardino.
For more information on AB 1268, click here.
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Assembly District 47 which includes the cities of Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, San Bernardino and the unincorporated areas of Muscoy and Bloomington.
###
Contact: Galen Dobbins, galen.dobbins@asm.ca.gov, (916) 319-2017