Photo by Senator Yee

Sacramento, September 15, 2009—California’s domestic violence advocates expressed shock at the attitude displayed by the Senate GOP leaders responsible for blocking SBX3 13, an urgency bill that would have reinstated funding to domestic violence shelters devastated by the Governor’s elimination of their State funding in July. The bill died in the Senate on the last day of the session, amid political maneuverings in which Republican Senators abstained from voting on all bills requiring a 2/3 majority to pass.

Commenting to the Los Angeles Times, Senate GOP leader Dennis Hollingsworth said that there was “nothing to be alarmed about” in delaying passage of the bills.

Niko Johnson, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition of Grass Valley, had to close her shelter August 5, one of six shelters that have closed statewide since the funding cut. She said Hollingsworth’s comments show that he is unaware of the gravity of the situations many domestic violence victims face. Since closing her shelter, Johnson said her staff has had to turn away 14 families, including at least eight children.

“We are the only shelter in Western Nevada County,” she said. “We are seeing people choose to stay in abusive relationships because there are no longer services in our area. When they’re forced to stay victims’ lives are endangered, and so are those of their children.”

Tara Shabazz, Executive Director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV), said it’s discouraging that such an urgent matter was not given priority.

“For the communities whose shelters have closed this is a life-or-death crisis,” she said. “We’re angry not only that this bill was victim to political gamesmanship, but also that the lawmakers who blocked it are minimizing the risk to domestic violence victims. It is irresponsible.  People’s lives are at stake.”

Sen. Leland Yee, the bill’s original author, has promised to keep working to reinstate shelter funding as quickly as possible.  “I am deeply disappointed that petty Sacramento politics and end-of-session drills were put before the lives of victims,” he said.

CPEDV urges the Governor and Legislature to right this wrong and re-fund our State’s shelters immediately.