Over 200 organizations are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider budget, add funds to Victims of Crime Act

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — District attorneys and organizations across the state are calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider his proposed budget affecting victim services. On Friday, Jan. 10, Newsom announced that he sent his Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 budget to the Legislature. 

According to a press release from the state (gov.ca.gov/2025/01/10/governor-newsom-sends-2025-26-budget-plan-to-legislature/), “The $322.3 billion fiscal plan provides for $228.9 billion in general fund spending and nearly $17 billion in combined reserves — including nearly $11 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund and an additional discretionary set-aside of $4.5 billion in the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties.”

However, over 200 organizations, including the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and the Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center are calling Newsom to reconsider the budget. A press release from the California VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) Alliance (VOCA) issued concerns that the budget leaves a large gap in funding that will leave hundreds of thousands of Californians who experience violence each year without life-savingservices.

“San Luis Obispo County was one of the first two counties in California to begin providing victim assistance in 1977. Since then, we have served as a model for many other counties to follow in ensuring that victims are supported and their rights are protected,” said Dow. “I call upon Governor Newsom to make an immediate firm commitment to revise his budget proposal to include this critically needed funding to support crime victims as they deal with the overwhelming impact of the crimes committed against them.”

VOCA consists of statewide organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of crime, advocates, and their communities. The coalition works to try to advance the rights of survivors of trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and others.

Amanda Gould from the VOCA and the Los Angeles LGBT Center released the following statement in response:

“The Governor’s budget fails to adequately fund essential services for survivors of human trafficking, sexual violence, domestic violence, child abuse and other forms of violence. Last year, the State invested in short-term and long-term solutions, but, for at least the next five years, communities will need $176 million each year to bridge gaps that still exist. If these funds are not in the budget, catastrophic federal Victims of Crime Act cuts will force hundreds of thousands of Californians to wait months or travel long distances to access lifesaving services needed at a moment’snotice.”

Members of VOCA are asking Newsom to include bridge funding to protect services to victims until the new California Crime Victims Fund (cpedv.org/press-release/governor-newsom-signs-ab-2432-law-establishing-california-crime-victims-fund) becomes strong enough to provide continued support on its own. 

In September 2024, Newsom signed AB 2432 into law, establishing the California Crime Victims Fund. The bill builds on the $103 million allocated from the state in June 2024 to Grace Glaser with VALOR, a member of the VOCA, to fund victim service programs. Funds will also be generated by holding corporations criminally accountable for harms committed against Californians, according to the VOCA. Over 800,000 survivors received services in FY 2022-23. 

“Cutting survivors of violence off from essential services is like standing by while they drown instead of providing them with a life jacket: When there is nowhere safe to escape in the midst of human trafficking and domestic violence, victims are more likely to be killed,” said Gould. “When there are no advocates to call, more survivors of child abuse and sexual assault will experience mental health crises without any relief in sight. California survivors deserve to be safe.”

Over 200 organizations are calling on the governor and Legislature to provide $176 million each year for five years. Their budget advocate letter can be found at docs.google.com/document/d/129GeLQf1_yyndLjiViVP0U7dItAZ1oMF/edit

Within the letter, it states the $103 million provided in the June final budget hardly covered services needed in FY2024-25.

“Cal OES shared publicly that this was the bare minimum needed to support the nearly 400 programs experiencing a 44.7 percent cut in federal funding, with no additional funding to carry over to FY’25-26. With the combination of these efforts, our state agreed to supporting survivors for the foreseeable future,” the letter explains.

VOCA also issues concerns that “a new Congress and administration, the future of VOCA remains uncertain” as another reason it is crucial for the funding to be added to the proposed state budget.

According to VOCA, the funding ensures the following:

• When survivors call a crisis hotline, there will be an advocate on the other end to help them access safety.
• Domestic violence survivors will be able to access shelter when they must flee from violence or lose their housing. 
• LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual assault will have access to mental health care and critical and life saving legal support. 
• Children will be listened to by a caring and specially trained interviewer during forensic interviews in child abuse investigations.

The proposed January State budget can be viewed in its entirety at ebudget.ca.gov

You can learn more about VOCA at ovc.ojp.gov/program/victims-crime-act-voca-administrators/welcome