Thursday, May 13 Day of Action!JoinUs!
Join us, The Partnership, Legal Aid Association of California and CALICO/Children’s Advocacy Centers of California on May 13th for a coordinated Day of Action in support of our $315 Million Budget Request for Victim Services Funding! This budget request would protect victim services programs from the risk of cuts as a result of decreased VOCA funding and provide essential bridge funding while we continue to advocate for the needed federal fix.
Who: VALOR, The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, Legal Aid Association of California and CALICO/Children’s Advocacy Centers of California AND YOU!
What: Day of Action & Twitter Chat
When: Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 12PM
Where: Twitter
We’ve been making good progress advocating for this critical budget ask and this is a critical time to keep the momentum going. Governor Newsom will release his May Budget Revision (aka “May Revise”) by May 14th, and the legislature will then work quickly to make final decisions before the June 15th deadline to pass the budget. It is essential we take action now!
On Thursday, May 13, take action with us and advocates across the state to contact your legislators to voice support for the budget ask!
- Tweet and Tag Your Assemblymember & Senator – click here for sample tweets and click here to find your legislator’s Twitter handle. We also invite you to join us from 12-1pm for a Twitter chat about the importance of this funding.
AND
- Call or email your Legislators:
- Sample Call Script: Hello, my name is [INSERT NAME] and I am a constituent. I am calling to urge Assemblymember/Senator [INSERT NAME] to support a $315 million budget request for victim services. This one-time state budget request will prevent reductions to critical victim services, providing a bridge period until federal funding stabilizes. Thank you.
- Sample Email: Dear Assemblymember/Senator [INSERT NAME] my name is [INSERT NAME] and I am a constituent. I am emailing to urge you to support a $315 million budget request for victim services. This one-time state budget request will prevent reductions to critical victim services that are anticipated as the result of decreases in federal funding.
- [Insert information about the impacts to your program and the survivors you serve, if appropriate]. Thank you.
- Click here for contact information
This state budget request will prevent reductions to critical victim services, providing a bridge period until federal funding stabilizes. We will continue to advocate for the federal changes needed for long term stability, including the VOCA Fix Act, but it’s absolutely essential that the State intervene to protect victim services in California.
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We are excited to announce that along with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV), Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC), and CALICO/Child Advocacy Centers of California, we are requesting a state investment of $315 million in one-time funding for crime survivor services through CalOES. This budget request is directly in response to member concerns about potential cuts to programs as a result of decreased VOCA funding. The dollar amount we selected is one we believe will prevent any cuts to victim services grants for at least a three-year period, while we continue to work for the needed federal fix.
The federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) fund, the largest funding source for victims services in California, has declined annually since 2018. The current Federal Fiscal Year VOCA State Assistance Grant award to California is $250 million less than it was in FY 2018. Current projections are that Cal OES would need to cut all VOCA-supported programs by 25% beginning in FY 22-23 if funding doesn’t increase.
This state budget request will prevent reductions to critical victim services, providing a bridge period until federal funding stabilizes. We will continue to advocate for the federal changes needed for long term stability, including the VOCA Fix Act, but it’s absolutely essential that the State intervene to protect victim services in California. Along with our $15 million prevention funding budget ask, this will be a key part of Policy Advocacy Day efforts.
