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AB-2626 Violent crimes against women: county task forces.(2011-2012)

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 29, 2012

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2011–2012 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2626

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Furutani

February 24, 2012

An act to amend Section 878 14142 of the Penal Code, relating to material witnesses violent crimes against women.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2626, as amended, Furutani. Material witnesses. Violent crimes against women: county task forces.
Existing law authorizes and encourages the counties to create a county task force on violent crimes against women to develop a countywide policy on violent crimes against women. Under existing law, counties that elect to establish a task force are authorized to evaluate and make recommendations regarding law enforcement issues relating to violence against women, including local government efforts to reduce violent crimes against women.
This bill would require the county task force, if one is established, to evaluate and make recommendations on those law enforcement issues and would include the need for services and access to information provided in languages other than English for women who are victims of violent crime.

Existing law provides that on holding the defendant to answer or on a plea of guilty where permitted by law, a magistrate is authorized to take from each of the material witnesses examined before him or her on the part of the people, a written undertaking, to the effect that the person will appear and testify at the court to which the depositions and statements or case are to be sent, or that person will forfeit the sum of $500.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 14142 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

14142.
 Each county task force may, if one is established, shall evaluate and make recommendations regarding the following:
(a) The adequacy of current law enforcement efforts at the local level to reduce the rate of violent crimes against women.
(b) The responsiveness of local prosecutors and the courts to violent crimes against women.
(c) Local government efforts to reduce violent crimes against women.
(d) Public awareness and public dissemination of information essential to the prevention of violent crimes against women.
(e) The information collection and government statistics on the incidence and prevalence of violent crimes against women.
(f) The adequacy of federal, state, and local laws on sexual assault and domestic violence and the need for more uniform statutory responses to sex offenses and domestic violence.
(g) The need for services, including counseling, shelter, legal services, victim advocacy, and other supportive services, for women who are victims of violent crime.
(h) The need for services and access to information provided in languages other than English for women who are victims of violent crime.

SECTION 1.Section 878 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
878.

On holding the defendant to answer or on a plea of guilty where permitted by law, the magistrate may take from each of the material witnesses examined before him or her on the part of the people a written undertaking, to the effect that the witness will appear and testify at the court to which the depositions and statements or case are to be sent, or that he or she will forfeit the sum of five hundred dollars ($500).