California Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud Gov Newsom and California Legislature for Significantly Increasing Funding for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program in 2019 Budget

In Budget Passed Today, Legislature Increased Funding for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program to $30 Million

The California Chapter of Moms Demand Action and a Coalition of More Than 30 Organizations Across the State Called for Increased Funding for the Program

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown, today applauded the California legislature for including $30 million in funding for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP) in the budget bill passed today. This marks a $3 million increase from the $27 million that Governor Newsom included in his May Revise budget and a $21 million increase from the $9 million in the Governor’s proposed budget in January.

“With this additional funding, California can continue to lead the way in preventing senseless acts of violence in our communities,” said Clare Senchyna, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network whose 26-year-old son, Camilo Senchyna-Beltran, was shot and killed in San Francisco in 2014. “We’re so grateful for the leadership of Governor Newsom and our lawmakers, including Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Senator Anthony Portantino, Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks and all the legislators who ensured this program would get the funding necessary to create a safer California. I’m hopeful that more funding for this critical program will mean fewer families will have to suffer the way mine did.”

CalVIP supports community-based violence intervention programs that apply a localized approach to address gun violence in California’s hardest-hit neighborhoods. While California is a leader in gun safety laws, CalVIP has been drastically underfunded at around $9 million annually for years. This year, volunteers with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action joined a coalition of more than 30 member organizations — inclusive of mayors’ offices, local violence intervention and prevention groups and gun violence prevention advocates — to call for Gov. Newsom and the California legislature to increase funding for the CalVIP program.